Μake us preferred on Google The Gkrava school complex in Athens will reopen Monday, Nov. 2, after being shut down for nearly a month over reports of a gas-like odor, forcing approximately 4,000 students to attend classes remotely. The Athens City Council unanimously approved the reopening during a special meeting Thursday, following a recommendation by Mayor Haris Doukas. The complex, the largest of its kind in Greece, houses 15 schools and has more than 400 teachers.
The decision comes after six rounds of inspections found no evidence of a natural gas leak or signs of the odor that had prompted the closure. However, the schools will reopen with their natural gas supply shut off while further work is carried out on the installations.
Speaking at the council meeting, Doukas said the findings gave him confidence that students and teachers could safely return, provided the gas supply remained disconnected. He said classes could have resumed immediately, but the municipality had decided to give the school community time to prepare for Monday’s return.
Six Inspections Found No Evidence of a Gas Leak
The inspections were conducted by three organizations: Enaon, the gas distribution network operator; ICON, the company responsible for maintaining the complex’s boilers on behalf of the municipality; and the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), the country’s professional engineering body. All three concluded that no natural gas leak had been detected. Enaon also conducted three additional rounds of testing using Picarro gas detection technology, on Oct. 2-3, Oct. 9-10 and Oct. 26-28. None found signs of a gas leak.
An earlier TEE report had identified several safety deficiencies at the complex, including a nonfunctioning gas detection system in one boiler room and faulty emergency shutoff equipment. Inspectors also found shortcomings in fire protection. Questions were also raised about previous maintenance checks. One boiler had reportedly gone 23 years without the required inspections, while another had not undergone them since 2014. Although the inspections found no evidence of a leak, the TEE report did not rule out the possibility that one had occurred before testing began. The source of the odor initially reported at the complex remains unidentified.
Gas Supply to Remain Shut Off Until Further Work Is Completed
Doukas said the municipality plans to complete the work recommended by inspectors by the end of November. The City Council will then review the safety certificates and decide whether the gas supply can be restored.
A representative of the gas company, who attended Thursday’s City Council meeting, confirmed that no leaks had been detected in the network. He said the company had completed its preparations but could not begin work until the technical plans were approved.
The municipality said it would continue to work with school officials, teachers and parents as the repairs and inspections proceed.
