Another Explosion Rocks Athens as Fire Engulfs Building

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A reported explosion at a cafe in Nea Ionia triggered a major fire early Monday, engulfing a three-storey apartment building and forcing residents to evacuate.

The alarm sounded at around 4:30 a.m. in central Nea Ionia after witnesses reported an explosion at the ground-floor cafe. The fire spread rapidly to the upper floors, sending residents fleeing the building in panic.

Firefighters rushed to the scene and evacuated the three-storey building, which contains at least 16 apartments.

According to the Fire Brigade, six people from the neighbouring floors required assistance to leave the building.

A total of 18 firefighters attended the incident with five fire engines and a specialised ladder platform vehicle. Firefighters also rescued several residents who had become trapped on the rooftop.

Initial witness accounts reported three explosions before a woman began shouting “fire”.

One resident living on the third floor told Greek television channel MEGA that his wife woke him after noticing the fire.

“She woke me up and told me there was a fire. It had filled with smoke, and the awning had caught fire. We could not breathe, even in the hallway,” he said.

He said his wife had heard explosions when she woke up but initially thought the sounds came from rubbish collection vehicles in the streets. The couple then began alerting other residents.

Another resident said his wife woke him during the night after flames had already engulfed their balcony.

He described the fire as spreading extremely quickly from the ground floor to the upper levels, with flames entering apartments.

Residents also reported hearing a powerful blast shortly before the fire began. One woman said she heard a loud explosion and saw flames outside her window within seconds.

According to her account, the fire had engulfed almost the entire building within around half an hour.

Some residents escaped through the main entrance, while others fled to the rooftop because thick smoke prevented them from leaving through the building.

Firefighters subsequently rescued those residents from the rooftop and led them safely to nearby areas.

The cafe had also been the scene of a shooting incident three years ago, when a fight involving gunfire occurred at the premises.

The Athens Arson Crimes Investigation Unit has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.

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