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    Categories: 2022

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 08/14/2022

                                        Sunday, 


Death Toll Rises In Armenian Market Blast


Armenia - Firefighters are fighting a major blaze triggered by an explosion at 
the Surmalu market in Yerevan. .


The death toll has risen to three people in the major explosion and fire at a 
Yerevan market where firefighters continued to fight the blaze late into the 
night, authorities said.

Officials also said at least 61 people, including children, were injured after a 
fireworks warehouse at Surmalu, a sprawling wholesale and retail market just 
outside the city center, exploded on Sunday afternoon under still unclear 
circumstances.

All injured people have been receiving treatment in hospitals in the Armenian 
capital, health authorities said.

The Yerevan mayor’s office said a three-story building had partially collapsed 
as a result of the explosion, subsequent detonations and fire. It said rescue 
operations were underway to pull people, who may have been trapped, out of the 
rubble.

Investigators say they will start looking into possible causes of the explosion 
and fire once conditions permit.

A major fire at Surmalu in April 2021 destroyed several pavilions and warehouses 
with toys and household goods, but no casualties were reported in that fire that 
occurred at night.
[see video]
azatutyun.am/a/31987514.html



Mass Evacuations In Yerevan Amid Bomb Threats


The Yerevan metro was closed and people were evacuated from it after bomb 
threats. .


Armenian authorities were evacuating people from the metro, trade centers and 
other major public facilities in Yerevan on Sunday evening after bomb threats 
reportedly made to security services.

The evacuations came hours after a strong blast and fire at a local popular 
market killed at least one and injured more than 50 people. Authorities said the 
massive blaze was due to an explosion at a local fireworks warehouse.

Tatev Khachatrian, a spokeswoman for Yerevan’s metro, told RFE/RL’s Armenian 
Service that the work of the metro had been suspended and people were being 
evacuated from all 10 stations.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations said that besides the bomb threat against 
the metro, authorities had also received alerts about explosive devices 
allegedly having been planted at all major military and civilian facilities, 
including all shopping centers, the Zoo, the National Assembly building and St. 
Grigor Lusavorich Church in Yerevan.

Authorities say teams of engineers have been dispatched to the scenes.

“Evacuations are being carried out for the safety of the population,” the 
ministry said.

No other details were reported immediately.

Later, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said that no bomb had been found in 
the metro after search was conducted at all stations and the metro resumed its 
work at 9:30 pm..

Similar bomb threats again Yerevan’s metro and other major civilian facilities 
and government buildings were also made in July and early August. Those alerts 
proved to be false, but authorities have so far not reported any progress in 
investigations of those cases.



One Dead, Dozens Injured After Fireworks Blast Starts Fire At Armenian Market


Armenia - An explosion and fire at the Surmalu market in Yerevan, August 14, 
2022.


At least one person has been killed and more than 50 people injured in an 
explosion that took place in a Yerevan market on Sunday afternoon, causing a 
major fire in the sprawling complex just off the city center.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations says firefighters and rescuers are working 
on the scene at the popular market called Surmalu where both wholesale and 
retail trade is available.

According to Taguhi Stepanian, director of an ambulance service, dozens of 
injured people have been taken to different hospitals in the Armenian capital.

It was immediately unclear what caused the blast. Videos posted on social media 
showed black smoke rising from the Surmalu market where, among other things, 
fireworks and other pyrotechnics are sold.

Levon Sardarian, a spokesman for Yerevan’s municipality, later confirmed reports 
that the explosion took place at the fireworks warehouse.

He said rescuers were on the scene trying to pull out injured people from under 
the rubble after a three-storey building had partially collapsed.
[see video]
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.azatutyun.am/a/31987311.html__;!!LIr3w8kk_Xxm!oxA6eZCNcCKbZdvNQy2Biivon4dOfi0-tIJzxOncRI1PY5HJaUmMU6Jrnocyfpc226p8BxcNTqA1$
 



Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS