Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan did not leave for the military unit located in Azat village of Gegharkunik province as of 3 p.m., NEWS.am was informed by the Armenian Defense Ministry.

"After the incident, many high-ranking officials and high-ranking officers of the Defense Ministry left for the site of the incident and are still there. The Minister of Defense has not yet left for the scene," the Defense Ministry said.

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that at around 1:30am on Thursday, a fire broke out—under still unknown circumstances—in the accommodation of the engineer-sapper troop of the military unit located in the territory of Azat village of Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province. According to preliminary data, 15 servicemen have died as a result of this fire, and three others are injured.