At least three people have been injured after a building collapsed following a powerful explosion near the Acropolis in central Athens, officials have said.
The blast destroyed an old two-storey building and damaged others at the foot of the Acropolis hill, Greece's most visited ancient monument, in the city's Plaka tourist district, on Friday morning.
Two women were taken to hospital for treatment after being pulled from an adjacent building, the city's fire department said.
A passer-by was also hurt in the explosion, which occurred at 7.30am local time, Greek news outlet eKathimerini.com reported.
Quoting fire chiefs, the outlet reported 24 firefighters were deployed to the scene after the blast "ripped off the facade of the mid 20th century house, broke windows and damaged cars near the collapsed building".
Police cordoned off the area as rescuers searched for others who might be trapped, the fire department said.
Video footage and pictures from the scene showed rubble strewn across the street.
Nearby buildings, homes, shops and cars were damaged in the blast.
The area is also home to many hotels and short-term rentals.
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The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear and is being investigated.
Local media reports said a gas leak was suspected.
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