A warehouse with fireworks probably caused the heavy explosion in Yerevan.
(dpa)
According to official information, at least one person was killed and 35 others injured in a serious explosion in a shopping center in Armenia. The detonation happened just outside the center of the capital Yerevan, as a reporter from the German Press Agency reported at the scene. A warehouse with fireworks was probably blown up by violating fire safety regulations. A gas line also exploded. The detonation on Sunday afternoon (local time) was massive.
Several buildings collapsed or were damaged. According to rescue workers, there could still be people under the rubble, it said. The Armenian civil defense initially spoke of 20 injuries. The fire was not extinguished even after hours. A cloud of smoke spread over the city. Dust and debris settled on cars.
The Civil Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that at least seven people had to be hospitalized for treatment.
The former Soviet Republic of Armenia in the South Caucasus, bordering Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia, is one of the poorest countries in the region. Again and again there are breaches of elementary safety regulations. Rescue workers and the fire brigade were deployed without protective masks.