Athens, Greece – An investigation is underway by Greece’s anti-terrorism unit following a powerful explosion on Thursday that devastated an apartment in Athens. The blast resulted in the death of a man and left a woman in critical condition, according to local police.
Police spokesperson Constantina Dimoglidou indicated that the identity of the deceased victim has yet to be determined, and the severely injured woman was unable to provide any information to authorities due to her serious injuries.
Explosives specialists are currently examining the site of the explosion, located in a residential building in the Ambelokipi area, which is central to the Greek capital.
A rescue team comprising 23 firefighters worked diligently to extricate the injured woman from the debris. Utilizing sniffer dogs, they searched for any additional victims within the apartment and subsequently discovered the man’s body, as reported by the fire department.
Although there were early suspicions that the explosion might have resulted from a gas leak, these theories have not been substantiated. Authorities are now investigating the possibility that an explosive device may have been inadvertently detonated inside the residence.
State-run television, ERT, has reported that at least one firearm was recovered from the apartment, which could point to potential criminal activity linked to the incident.
The explosion not only obliterated the internal and external walls of the third-floor unit but also caused significant damage to surrounding properties and blown off balcony railings.
Greece has an extensive history of political extremism, particularly from far-left factions that emerged in urban areas over the years. Although major groups responsible for numerous assassinations from the 1970s through the early 2000s have been dismantled and their members imprisoned, smaller, less effective groups remain. These factions have primarily resorted to bombings targeting symbols of authority and wealth but had been relatively inactive in recent times.