An emergency meeting was convened by Aristides Koreas, Head of the Athens First Instance Public Prosecutor’s Office, with representatives from the Athens Municipality and the Attica Region. The aim was to urgently address the removal of debris from the site where an apartment building collapsed in Kato Petralona.
Delayed Debris Clearance Hinders Investigation
A week after the collapse, debris from the failed construction site remains uncleared from the plot where a new building was under construction. While a judicial investigation is underway—including an official site inspection ordered by the prosecutor—the two court-appointed experts tasked with preparing an inspection report have been unable to carry out their work. The site remains inaccessible for forensic examination until the rubble is removed.
Human and Health Concerns Mount
The rubble still contains personal belongings of the building’s former residents, who have been denied access. In addition, health and safety concerns have emerged: according to a resident, a pet dog went missing in the ruins. The Prosecutor’s Office has raised public health considerations as another urgent reason for immediate debris clearance.
Mr. Koreas called the morning meeting to resolve the issue without delay, stressing that the situation constitutes an emergency. To date, responsibility for debris removal remains unclear—no authority has formally assumed operational or legal accountability. The site remains under 24/7 police guard.