A powerful explosion rocked the center of Thessaloniki early Saturday morning, claiming the life of a 38-year-old woman and causing widespread damage to the surrounding residential area.
The blast occurred around 5:30 a.m. outside a residential apartment building’s parking area, adjacent to a bank branch, in close proximity to the city’s Ancient Agora. Emergency services were immediately dispatched, and the injured woman—found with a severe hand amputation—was transported to the Ippokrateio Hospital by ambulance. Despite resuscitation efforts, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival.
The area has since been cordoned off as investigators from the the Organized Crime Directorate work alongside bomb disposal units to collect evidence from the scene. Forensic experts are analyzing remnants of the explosive device to determine its composition and origin.
According to police spokesperson Konstantina Dimoglidou, the deceased woman was known to authorities for a series of criminal offenses, including armed robbery, theft, extortion, and violations related to weapons and narcotics laws. She had previously served time in Korydallos prison in 2021 and had been accused of harboring a fugitive and illegal weapons possession.
Police sources, according to SKAI, indicated that the woman may have been in the process of placing an explosive device when it detonated prematurely in her hands. Authorities are investigating her possible connection to the so-called “Tziotis Group,” previously implicated in sending an explosive device to a judicial official in Thessaloniki. In that case, the device was discovered before detonation by the official’s military spouse.
The exact target of Saturday’s explosion remains unclear. Authorities are considering the possibility that the intended target may have been the bank’s ATM or a nearby residence. The bank branch in question has been the target of anarchist attacks in the past.
The blast resulted in extensive damage. The shockwave shattered glass storefronts, damaged nearby vehicles, and reached apartments as high as the third floor. Residents described scenes of panic and destruction.
“It felt like an earthquake,” said a local resident speaking to voria.gr. “As if houses were collapsing. I stepped out on the balcony along with many others to see what was going on. A few minutes later we heard ambulances arriving. It was terrifying.”
An eyewitness, speaking to ERT, was among the first to call emergency services at 5:28 a.m. “The explosion was so loud I thought it had happened inside my home,” he said. “I rushed to the scene. The entire street was covered in shattered glass. Nearby buildings were damaged. It took the ambulance about thirty minutes to arrive.”
