Plaka: Attempted theft caused gas leak that led to deadly explosion
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New video footage and information have emerged about the cause of the deadly explosion in Plaka that claimed the lives of six people.
- 29 Οκτωβρίου 2026 20:52
Shocking new evidence has come to light regarding the deadly explosion in Plaka, which killed six people.
Newly released footage captures the moment of the blast, while investigators have reportedly identified three suspects believed to have caused the gas leak while attempting to steal copper from the building.
Footage of the explosion and the school bus carrying 12 pupils
Footage revealed by ANT1 shows a black van travelling along Lysikratous Street at the exact moment the powerful explosion occurs. The vehicle was a school bus carrying 12 young pupils from a private school, who were just metres away from the scene of the tragedy.
According to the school bus driver, the children escaped by a miracle.
How investigators located the source of the gas leak
For one month and four days, officers from the Directorate for the Investigation of Arson Crimes, led by Fire Lieutenant Colonel Dimitris Dimakogiannis, worked to establish the circumstances of the incident in cooperation with court-appointed forensic experts.
Investigators managed to reconstruct the gas meter and pipelines from the debris, identifying the exact point where the leak originated. Laboratory examinations conducted at the National Technical University of Athens also proved crucial.
Professor Petros Tsakiridis confirmed that the source of the leak was located within the building’s internal gas installation, next to the meter.
Court-appointed expert Tasos Dedes reached the same conclusion.
Three suspects caught on camera entering the building before the explosion
Analysis of CCTV footage revealed another crucial piece of evidence.
Just hours before the deadly explosion, three individuals were recorded entering the building. According to investigators from the Fire Service, the suspects are believed to have intended to steal copper.
Footage examined by the authorities shows the three men remaining inside the building for several minutes before leaving hurriedly, carrying a section of copper pipe.
According to the investigation revealed by ANT1, the suspects allegedly damaged the internal gas installation while attempting to remove the copper, causing the gas leak linked to the fatal explosion.
Police have identified the three suspects as men aged 34, 37 and 55. According to ANT1, all three have repeatedly come to the attention of the authorities in the past.
The 34-year-old has reportedly been arrested more than 20 times, while the other two have each been arrested 15 times.
Their previous arrests involved, among other offences, theft, robbery, weapons offences, drug-related crimes and grievous bodily harm.
What charges the suspects are expected to face
According to the same reports, the three suspects are expected to face charges of multiple counts of intentional homicide committed jointly, causing a fatal explosion intentionally, and arson.
These revelations shed new light on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, with the investigation now focusing on the alleged involvement of the three identified suspects in the gas leak that preceded the explosion.
