12:14,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. There are still clusters of fire under the rubble at the Surmalu market where the explosion took place and the fire is still not contained, Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Davit Hambaryan told reporters.
“There’s a lot of work to do in cleaning the rubble and carrying out the search and rescue operation,” he said.
Right now 158 firefighter-rescuers are working on the scene. Volunteers had joined the rescuers overnight August 14-15.
Hambaryan says the volunteers have registered and are on stand-by to be deployed whenever needed.
Asked about the cause of the explosion, Hambaryan said: “Only a specialized investigation will give the answer, I will refrain from giving any assessment now. We can only see with the naked eye that especially explosives can be one of the reason or the main reason of the blast or the shockwave, the investigation will give the answer. We can still hear the cracks in various parts this morning, which shows that the material is spread out.”
Initially it was reported that the building which exploded was a fireworks warehouse.
61 people were hospitalized after the blast, but as of August 15 most of them were treated and discharged with 21 still receiving treatment.
15 people are missing.
The death toll in the explosion stands at 6.
The prosecution earlier said the investigators are looking into all possible versions. However the criminal case is opened on Violation of Fire Safety Rules Causing Deaths and Violating of Safety Rules for Storing, Transporting, Using or Supplying Flammable or Incendiary Materials Causing Death.