Petralona building collapse stalls as authorities dispute rubble removal

A week after a seven‑apartment building in the Petralona district of Athens collapsed, the site remains filled with rubble, preventing two expert examiners appointed by the Athens Prosecutor's Office from conducting the required inspection. Officials have not agreed on which authority—municipal, regional or private landowner—should clear the debris, a point that has delayed the criminal investigation. Prosecutor Aristeidis Koreas convened an emergency meeting with representatives of the Athens municipality and the Attica region to find an immediate solution. The area is under 24‑hour police guard, and health concerns have been cited because personal belongings and a reported missing pet dog are trapped in the wreckage. The removal operation could cost more than half a million euros. In the meantime, the displaced families have received temporary shelter, financial aid and assistance from the mayor’s office and private donors.