Greece on Wednesday released a list of the most serious security scares during the 2004 Summer Olympics, headed by a propane leak at a seaside resort that housed some of America’s leading business executives. The incident, as disclosed by the minister of public order, George Voulgarakis, at a news conference on Wednesday, was the most grave among 86 “severe cases” that Greece grappled with during the Aug. 13-29 Games. And it was not as trivial as it might sound, he said. “It proved the most severe case for us because the threat of losing hundreds of lives was really there,” Mr. Voulgarakis said. “An explosion could have been triggered by something as simple as someone’s use of his cellphone.” The Astir Palace resort, a complex of three luxury hotels nestled in acres of pine trees on the coast about 15 miles south of the Athens, was booked at the time by the Games’ top Olympics sponsors, including McDonald’s, Coke and John Hancock. Mr. Voulgarakis said the more than 500 executives and business guests had been evacuated from the premises for eight hours before experts restored a malfunctioned gas tap at the complex. Full Story
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