An explosion near the Acropolis in Athens has left at least two people injured. The huge blast near the historic Greek landmark occurred in the tourist district of Plaka in the nation’s capital on Friday morning, collapsing a building and damaging several others. Authorities said the explosion took place in an old two-story building, with two women rescued after an adjacent building was damaged in the blast. The pair were then taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries. A passerby is also believed to have been slightly hurt in the blast in the area, located at the foot of the hill where Greece’s iconic ancient monument is located. Firefighters were also searching for five people, including an elderly couple who lived in the building, in the wake of the blast. “It was like the whole building, the whole block blew off. That’s how strong it was,” local resident Andreas Martzaklis told Reuters. The area was crowded with tourists at the time of the explosion. It was not immediately clear what caused the blast, although a gas leak has been suspected.
