Gravas school complex safety concerns spark protests in Athens

The Gravas school complex in Athens remains a focal point of tension following reports of a strong gas odor that led to a precautionary evacuation on October 2. While the Regional Directorate of Education of Attica and the Municipality of Athens have announced that technical inspections by the fire service and maintenance companies found no gas leaks and that the facilities are safe, the local school community remains skeptical.

Parents, students, and educators have organized protests, demanding official written guarantees and the publication of technical inspection results. Many students are currently boycotting classes, stating they do not feel safe returning to the premises. The issue affects approximately 4,000 children and 450 educators.

Athens Mayor Charis Doukas has formally written to the Minister of Education, Sofia Zacharaki, requesting that the Ministry and KTYP SA conduct their own independent technical checks to ensure absolute safety. The Municipality has preemptively suspended gas supplies to the complex and stated that full technical certification of the piping and systems is required before services can be restored, a process expected to take up to ten days.