A well-liked market within the Armenian capital, Yerevan, was devastated by an enormous explosion at a fireworks storage space on Sunday.
The blast at Surmalu market, occurring early afternoon, killed a minimum of 5 individuals, injured 60 others and sparked an enormous hearth that raged into the night time, in accordance with the nation's Ministry of Emergency Conditions.
19 extra persons are unaccounted for as of Monday morning, with relations believing they might nonetheless be trapped within the wreckage of a constructing that collapsed within the blast.
The reason for the explosion stays unknown.
Rescue employees and volunteers searched amid still-exploding fireworks, pulling useless and injured individuals from beneath slabs of concrete and twisted steel all through Sunday.
The victims are 4 ladies and a person.
Armenia's Normal Prosecutor's Workplace introduced in a single day that it was opening an investigation into attainable violations of "hearth laws" or guidelines round storing flammable merchandise.
Surmalu wholesale market is historically very busy on Sundays.
Eyewitnesses reported that the explosion occurred in an space the place fireworks have been saved, but the authorities haven't confirmed this.
"There isn't any info in the intervening time," Alen Simonyan, Chairman of the Nationwide Meeting of Armenia instructed AP reporters on Sunday afternoon. "There isn't any conclusion [on what caused the blast] but, however almost certainly a violation of fireplace self-discipline or one thing like that."
Footage circulating on social media confirmed a thick plume of black smoke rising excessive into the sky, with the sound of small detonations crackling in fast succession within the background.
Rescuers used diggers to clear massive piles of steaming rubble from the demolished constructing in an try to seek out survivors.
Many volunteers additionally received concerned, shifting piles of heavy concrete and twisted steel by hand.
"I've by no means seen something like this in my life, that is the primary time I see such a factor," stated native resident Arsen, who didn't give his surname.
In response to Armenia's Ministry of Emergency Conditions, some 200 firefighters and rescue employees have been deployed to the scene, in addition to a number of vehicles and building equipment.
They used lengthy water hoses and ladders to extinguish the flames, leaving blackened, smouldering ruins.
The market, two kilometres south of the town centre, is common with locals for its low costs and number of items.
The embassy of Russia, a neighbouring nation of Armenia, indicated on Sunday night it was in search of to ascertain whether or not Russians have been among the many victims.
"We specific our honest condolences to the households and family members of those that died within the explosion," it stated in a press release.
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