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Three men accused of causing deadly Athens gas blast during copper theft

Suspects appeared in court for a preliminary hearing over the Sept. 25 Plaka explosion that killed six people.

Published Nov 2, 2026 · 15:46 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • Three men accused of causing a deadly Athens gas explosion by allegedly stealing copper piping appeared in court for a preliminary hearing.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The Sept. 25 blast collapsed a two-story building in the Plaka district near the Acropolis, killing six people, including four American tourists and an elderly couple.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The suspects, two Greeks and one Albanian national, face charges including arson and manslaughter with possible intent, and one said the explosion was not his fault.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The allegations remain unproven at this preliminary stage of the case.[ABC News · Associated Press]

Key facts

  • The Sept. 25 explosion collapsed a two-story residential building in Athens' Plaka district near the Acropolis.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • Six people were killed, including an elderly couple and four American tourists staying in a short-term rental.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • Three men appeared in court on Monday for a preliminary hearing.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • Authorities allege the men stole copper piping from the building's gas supply network to sell as scrap.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • A 34-day fire department investigation led authorities to issue arrest warrants for the three suspects.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The three suspects are two Greek nationals and one Albanian national.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The suspects face charges including arson, manslaughter with possible intent, causing a deadly explosion, and causing dangerous bodily harm.[ABC News · Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • Responsibility for the explosion is unproven; the theft and causation claims are allegations at a preliminary hearing.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • One suspect's statement that the explosion was not his fault is an unverified account reported by the outlets.[ABC News · Associated Press]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.