Blast kills man in apartment in Greek capital; anti-terrorism probe launched

A man was killed and a woman was seriously hurt in an explosion in an apartment in the Greek capital Athens on Thursday and an anti-terrorism investigation was underway, the fire brigade and police officials said.

One of the officials said Greece's anti-terrorism police unit was investigating based on indications that the blast was caused by an explosive device.

The explosion gutted the apartment and caused serious damage to the entire residential building in the Ampelokipi district.

Firefighters evacuated the injured woman for transfer to a hospital and recovered the body of the man, who has not yet been identified.

Small bomb and arson attacks were frequent in Greece before and during the country's 2009-18 debt crisis, most of them targeting politicians, judges and businesses. They have abated in recent years.