The key facts
- The explosion occurred on Wednesday in the entrance hall of a building in the Kolonos district in central Athens
- The building manager called the police over a suspicious bag near the elevator on the first floor
- The bag contained suspected drugs, scales and pills; four people were injured, one police officer more seriously than the others
Circumstances of the explosion
On Wednesday, an improvised explosive device exploded in the entrance hall of an apartment building in the Kolonos district in central Athens, injuring four people, including two police officers, Greek media reported, citing the newspaper Kathimerini.
What preceded the explosion
According to Kathimerini, the building manager informed the police about a suspicious bag left near the elevator on the first floor. Two police officers opened the bag and found, apparently, drugs, scales and pills, after which, in unclear circumstances, the explosive device went off.
Data on the device and theories
According to officials cited by the publication, the device contained a detonator connected to batteries and a low-power explosive substance. According to initial reports, one of the police officers may have pressed the detonator button, which caused the explosion.
The injured
All four injured, including the building manager, were taken to hospital. One of the police officers sustained more serious injuries to his eye and hand. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene.
