At the moment we have four dead, one more is being searched for. First of all, I would like to extend my condolences to the families of the deceased. The Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia, Davit Khudatyan, told this to reporters at the site of the explosion at and subsequent partial collapse of a residential building in Chambarak town Wednesday.

“We have 12 injured, two of whom have been discharged from the hospital, the lives of the others are not in danger. The material damage will be inventoried in the near future. Now the colleagues of the Gegharkunik provincial governor’s office are engaged in assessing the overall situation, after which the government will take the necessary measures to mitigate the consequences. Unfortunately, we have had such precedents again, to which the government is responding appropriately,” Khudatyan said.

According to his information, the incident was caused by a natural gas leak—and most likely in an apartment on the third floor of the aforesaid building.

 “An investigation shall be conducted into the rest in order to give a proper assessment,” he added.

To the question as to where the people deprived of their homes will spend the night today, the minister replied: “The staff of the provincial governor has made an inventory of all hotel rooms and guesthouses in this area. All residents who will need to stay in guesthouses or hotels will definitely be provided with the necessary conditions for their stay, and, if necessary, with all the necessary conditions to ensure their livelihood in the coming days. They will stay in hotels and guesthouses as long as necessary until a global solution to the issue is found.

First, the building shall be assessed to see if it is subject to future repair or not. The government will definitely contact the Seismic Service to obtain the necessary conclusion, after which we will outline our courses of action in the longer term. At this point, I want to assure that everything necessary will be done so that those affected by the disaster are not left without a place to live, without necessary supplies.”

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that at 8:34am on Wednesday, the crisis management center of the Gegharkunik provincial rescue department of Armenia received a report that a fire had broken out in an apartment in a building in Chambarak town.

According to preliminary data, a natural gas explosion had occurred in an apartment on the third floor of the aforesaid building. As a result, the apartments on the fourth, third, and second floors of the building collapsed. And apartments in the adjacent entrance of this building partially collapsed.