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Six people have died, including a British national, in an explosion that destroyed a building housing a holiday rental property in the historic centre of Athens.<\/b><\/p>\n
The blast on Friday happened in the Plaka area of the Greek capital, a neighbourhood close to tourist sites such as the Acropolis.<\/p>\n
Four American holidaymakers were among the dead, along with a UK national and Greek national – reportedly an elderly couple who lived in the same building. <\/p>\n
Pictures from the scene on Saturday showed emergency service workers searching through rubble, with a gas leak the suspected cause of the blast.<\/p>\n
All six bodies had been recovered by Saturday afternoon. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said: “We are talking about an incredible disaster.”<\/p>\n
The tourists were confirmed to be missing when they did not arrive for their flight at Athens airport later on Friday, Reuters news agency reported citing local police.<\/p>\n
The three-storey building completely collapsed due to the force of the blast, with neighbouring buildings damaged and debris scattered across the road.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n