One of the fatalities in the collapse of a grocery store in Lernanist village of Armenia’s Kotayk Province was the wife of the storeowner. (PHOTOS)

The owner of this grocery store, Gagik Aloyan, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that his wife, Almida Mesropyan, 50, was working there as a store clerk.

In Aloyan’s words, his wife was buried under the debris when the store had collapsed, but her two sons that were beside her could not save her life.

Gagik Aloyan added that another store clerk, Tatevik, 23, as well as a customer, Lernanist resident Anush Sargsyan, 38, also were at the store at the time of the collapse, and Sargsyan likewise was buried under the rubble and had died.

Aloyan’s two sons sustained injuries in this incident. One of them, Sargis, was taken to hospital with fractured bones, whereas Artur has minor injuries, and he checked out of hospital after being administered first aid.

Store clerk Tatevik is also hospitalized, and it is believed that she has a pelvic fracture.

As reported earlier, there was an explosion, on Tuesday at 10:15am, at a grocery store in Lernanist village.

The roof of the grocery store had collapsed.

The injured were hospitalized.

The dead bodies of two women were taken out of the debris, and with the help of a crane.