Three men accused of causing a gas explosion that killed six people in central Athens in September were remanded in custody on Monday after appearing before an investigating magistrate.
The two Greek nationals, aged 37 and 55, and a 34-year-old Albanian national face charges including arson, causing an explosion and multiple counts of homicide with possible intent, as well as causing bodily harm.
According to the case file, the men allegedly broke into a neoclassical building in the Plaka district on September 25 to steal copper pipes from its natural gas installation. Investigators say their actions caused a gas leak that led to an explosion hours later, destroying the building.
The six victims included four young American tourists, one of whom was pregnant, and a Greek woman and her British husband, who lived in the building.
The suspects reportedly acknowledged breaking into the property to steal the copper pipes but argued that they could not have foreseen the deadly consequences. One of them told reporters he was devastated but denied responsibility for the explosion.
In a joint statement, the families of the four American victims welcomed the decision to remand the suspects in custody but called for a broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disaster.
They said the inquiry should not be limited to the actions of the three accused, urging authorities to examine the gas installations, safety measures, inspections, maintenance and regulatory oversight.
The families said they wanted to establish not only how the gas leak occurred but also why the explosion was not prevented, adding that any potential failures or breaches of safety regulations should be investigated.
They also thanked Greek emergency services, investigators and judicial authorities, as well as the U.S. Embassy, for their assistance.
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