Only the accommodation walls have remained after the fatal fire that took place in the accommodation of the engineer-sapper troop of the military unit located in Azat village of Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province. This was reported by the correspondent of Armenian News-NEWS.am from the scene.

The windows, roof, and floor of this 30-year-old building were completely destroyed by the fire.

According to the correspondent, one of the walls was demolished to get the soldiers out.

The rescuers brought out the bodies of many of the soldiers in a state of smoke inhalation.

The building of the barracks located in Azat village was a residential house two years ago.

At around 1:30am on Thursday, a fire broke out in the accommodation of the engineer-sapper troop of the military unit located in the territory of Azat village of Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province. Fifteen servicemen have died as a result of this fire, and seven others are injured.

Immediately after the incident, the commander of the 2nd Army Corps and seven other high-ranking military personnel were relieved of their positions.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting of the government that an officer had poured gasoline in the stove of the aforesaid accommodation. After which, when the fire had gotten to him, he had thrown—with a self-protective instinct—the 5-liter can of gasoline in his hand towards the accommodation, and this had caused the fire.

Criminal proceedings have been launched into this incident.