A multi-million euro badminton hall, built for the 2004 Athens Olympics, was seriously damaged by a fire which broke out late on Sunday evening, causing the roof to collapse, it was revealed on Monday.
Firefighters said they had dispatched nearly 40 firefighters and 13 vehicles to control the fire inside the building, which had been unused for several years.
It was not until early Monday morning that the fire was brought under control, firefighters said.
No casualties have been reported.
The badminton hall is located in a park very popular with local residents.
The building was originally built as a temporary site and cost more than €20 million. It was then rented out as a private concert venue after the 2004 Games, at an additional cost of €16 million, hosting performances of musicals including Cats, Mamma Mia! and Jesus Christ Superstar.
But in 2012, Greece’s highest administrative court ruled that the site contravened building regulations and must be demolished.
The site’s 20-year lease expired in April, the city of Athens said.
