[REVISION HISTORY]

Athens school complex remains closed amid gas odor concerns

Updated 14 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-12 12:39 UTC → 2026-10-13 07:53 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Gravas school complex in Athens remains closed as investigations into a persistent gas odor continue. Following the decision by Athens Mayor Charis Doukas and the Athens Municipal Council to suspend in-person operations, all 18 school units have transitioned to distance learning to ensure the safety of approximately 4,000 students and 450 teachers. The situation has escalated into a political confrontation in the Greek Parliament. Deputy Interior Minister Vasilis Spanakis assured lawmakers that technical inspections found no leaks within the distribution network, while KKE Member of Parliament Aphrodite Ktena accused the government of ‘playing with the lives of children.’ Ktena argued that the source might reside within the facility’s internal installations and criticized the absence of official safety certifications. Technical investigations have expanded to include the complex's boiler room and piping networks. While the natural gas supply to the ~~complex~~ school burners has been ~~cut,~~ suspended as a precaution, the exact source of the odor remains unidentified. Recent inspections by the Icon Group found no active gas leaks in the internal piping networks, but investigators discovered discrepancies between current installations and original approved studies. Specifically, at the 40th Gymnasium and Lyceum, a flexible anti-vibration connector must be replaced before the system can be reconnected to the natural gas supply, delaying the issuance of official safety certificates. Mayor Doukas continues to criticize the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Civil Protection for a lack of involvement and is demanding a secondary, official investigation by the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE). The schools will remain closed until official written guarantees regarding the safety of the facilities are provided by the relevant technical services.

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