Powerful explosion in Athens destroys building near Acropolis

At least three people have been injured after a building collapsed following a powerful explosion near the Acropolis in central Athens, officials have said.

The blast destroyed an old two-storey building and damaged others at the foot of the Acropolis hill, Greece's most visited ancient monument, in the city's Plaka tourist district, on Friday morning.

Two women were taken to hospital for treatment after being pulled from an adjacent building, the city's fire department said.

A passer-by was also hurt in the explosion, which occurred at 7.30am local time, Greek news outlet eKathimerini.com reported.

Quoting fire chiefs, the outlet reported 24 firefighters were deployed to the scene after the blast "ripped off the facade of the mid-20th-century house, broke windows and damaged cars near the collapsed building".

Nearby buildings, homes, shops and cars were damaged in the blast.

Police cordoned off the area as rescuers with a sniffer dog searched the rubble for others who might be trapped, in a search that continued hours after the incident, the fire department said.

Residents said two people lived in one of the building's apartments, and local media reports said three tourists may have been staying in a short-term rental apartment also in the building.

Andreas Martzaklis, who lives nearby and heard the blast, said: "An elderly couple lived upstairs, on the second floor", but he couldn't say if they were in at the time.

He said those rescued by the fire department from the adjacent building were all tourists.

Local pastor Giotis Kantartzis, said: "From the bottom to the top, there is no window that has not been broken".

Video footage and pictures from the scene showed rubble strewn across the street.

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The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear and is being investigated.

Local media reports said a gas leak was suspected.

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