ARMENIAN FIRE DEATHTOLL DOWN IN 2007
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 21 2007

The number of people killed in various fires registered across Armenia
has shrunk nearly by half this year, a government agency in charge
of fire-fighting said on Friday.

According to data released by the Armenian Rescue Service, fires
killed 20 people from January through November, down from 34 such
fatalities recorded during the same period in 2006. Most of the
victims were residents of Yerevan.

The Rescue Service reported a more than 20 percent fall in the overall
number of fires, saying that the Armenian fire-fighters dealt with
908 such incidents in the course of 2007. It said most of them were
caused by a negligent use of fuel and electrical stoves and other
appliances. Only 31 of the reported fires were deemed serious by
the agency.

It also emerged that Armenian prosecutors turned down most of
the Rescue Service’s petitions to launch fire-related criminal
proceedings. Criminal investigations are currently underway into a
total of such 28 incidents. The firefighters believe that some of
them to have resulted from arson attacks.

With the New Year holidays approaching, the Rescue Service further
urged Armenians to exercise caution in adorning Christmas trees with
lights and inflammable objects. In a statement, the agency issued
detailed guidelines on how to avoid accidentally setting fire to
those trees.