A video document is shedding new light on the investigation into the deadly explosion at a building in Plaka. The footage captures the findings being examined by specialists from the Arson Crimes Investigation Directorate (DAEE), with particular focus on the pipe leading to the gas meter.
Plaka: The pipe connecting the main network to the gas meter
The video obtained by ANT1 shows the pipe connecting the main gas network to the meter. DAEE investigators carefully uncovered it in order to examine the details of the installation. The specific section runs from the main pipeline to the meter, spanning a distance of less than two meters. The installation dates back to the 1990s, when the second-floor apartment was first connected to the gas network.
Both the meter and the relevant section of pipe have been seized and transferred to laboratories at the Polytechnic University, where experts will examine whether the pipework was certified and met the required safety standards. Burn marks have already been detected on the meter, and an excavation of the main pipeline is expected to take place in the coming days.
Signs of ignition found on the ground floor of the Plaka building
Although assessments place the greatest force of the blast wave on the second floor, DAEE specialists have identified — including through graphic reconstructions — signs of ignition on the ground floor as well. In addition to the pipe and the meter, authorities have seized a number of other devices from the scene. The precise sequence in which events unfolded is considered crucial to understanding how the explosion was triggered. Sources familiar with the investigation have not ruled out the possibility that the switching on of a light bulb may have acted as the spark that ignited the gas.
All victims were found in their beds
One of the most significant findings of the investigation is the fact that all victims were discovered in their beds. Investigators are now working to pinpoint the exact location where the gas leak originated, as this remains one of the central questions in the effort to fully reconstruct the events that led to the tragedy.
The February gas safety certificate under scrutiny
The gas safety certificate for the second-floor apartment’s installations is also under close examination. According to reports, the certificate had been issued in February 2026 and bore the signature of an engineer who had certified that the installations were operating safely. This document is being reviewed as part of the investigation to determine what, if anything, had changed in the installation prior to the deadly explosion.
All individuals connected to the case under investigation
The relevant authorities are expected to question all persons linked to the case in order to fully clarify the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, which occurred on Friday morning. The investigation continues with the examination of the pipe, the gas meter, the remaining seized devices, and all documentation relating to the certification of the installation.
