ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS NAIRIT TRAGEDY SERIOUS TRIAL FOR ARMENIA’S RESCUE SERVICES

ARKA
May 15, 2009

YEREVAN, May 15. /ARKA/. The tragedy at Nairit plant was a trial for
Armenia’s rescue services, RA President Serzh Sargsyan said.

An explosion in Armenia’s rubber producing giant Nairit plant on
Thursday at around 6:00 pm local time took lives of four workers.

"The rescuers risked their lives to extinguish the fire without a
delay," the president said as he visited today the enterprise.

Sargsyan has charged relevant agencies to launch an investigation
into the accident, expressing condolences to the families of the
dead workers.

"Though the owner of the enterprise and state agencies are ready
to recompense the losses, it will not console them," Sargsyan was
quoted saying.

The president urged other enterprises to take lessons from the tragedy
and become more cautious.

A lawsuit filed against the explosion at the Yerevan-based Nairit
chemical plant for violating safety rules in highly explosive areas,
causing human losses, as well as for careless utilization of hazardous
chemical and biological agents and toxins.

The police have launched preliminary investigation into the case.

Established in 1949, Armenia’s leading rubber producer Nairit chemical
pant manufactures chloroprene rubber marketing its products under
the Nairit brand.