Four people, including two police officers, were injured on Wednesday when an explosive device concealed inside a suspicious bag detonated at the entrance of a residential building in central Athens, according to Greek media reports.
The explosion occurred in the Kolonos neighbourhood after the building’s manager alerted authorities to an unattended bag near a ground-floor lift, Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported.
Two police officers responding to the complaint reportedly opened the bag and discovered suspected narcotics, weighing scales and pills.
An improvised explosive device hidden inside the bag subsequently detonated, injuring the officers and two other people.
According to officials cited by the newspaper, the device contained low-grade explosives and a detonator connected to batteries.
Preliminary reports suggested that one of the officers may have inadvertently activated the device by pressing a button on the detonator. However, the exact circumstances that triggered the explosion remain unclear.
All four injured individuals, including the building manager, were transported to hospital for medical treatment.
One police officer reportedly suffered more serious injuries to an eye and a hand.
Firefighters also responded to the scene following the explosion.
Authorities have yet to establish who left the suspicious bag inside the building or whether the suspected drugs and explosive device were connected to criminal activity.