Plaka explosion: Investigators rule out main gas pipeline leak as cause of deadly blast

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Investigators have ruled out a leak from the main natural gas pipeline serving Plaka as the cause of the explosion that killed six people in central Athens.

A leak test was carried out on the pavement outside the building on Lysikratous Street, while investigators also examined the point where the gas network enters the property.

No evidence was found that the central gas pipeline was leaking before the explosion.

Investigators now believe the gas accumulated inside a second floor apartment, which was the only unit in the building connected to the natural gas network.

The exact source of the gas leak remains unclear.

Authorities are examining three gas powered appliances inside the apartment:

• A boiler
• A fireplace
• A stove

The boiler and stove have not yet been recovered from the wreckage, leaving investigators without a definitive answer as to which appliance may have been involved.

Debris examined for further evidence

Material recovered from the destroyed building is being transferred to a designated facility in Aspropyrgos, west of Athens.

The debris will undergo further technical examination, including analysis by experts who may be appointed by the families of the six victims.

The latest findings shift the investigation away from the main gas network and towards the apartment itself as authorities work to establish exactly how gas accumulated and what ultimately triggered the catastrophic explosion.

The blast caused extensive destruction in the heart of Plaka, one of Athens’ most historic neighbourhoods, and resulted in six deaths.

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