Death toll in Armenia market explosion rises to six, leaves over 60 injured
Death toll in Armenia market explosion rises to six, leaves over 60 injured
Sunday's blast at the Surmalu wholesale market in the Armenian capital of Yerevan - which has left at least six people dead and over 60 people injured - also caused a fire and the collapse of a building.
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The reason behind the blast at a wholesale market in Yerevan, Armenia was not yet determined, but eyewitnesses say that the explosion went off at a store that stored fireworks [Getty]
The death toll from an in the Armenian capital rose to sixÌýon Monday.
Four women and one man died, over 60 were injured and 19 were missing after Sunday's blast at the wholesale market, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.
Search and rescue operations were carried out overnight, it said, with 10 survivors and one body pulled from the rubble.
Drone shot of the fireworks warehouse explosion in Yerevan, Armenia.
— Ukraine War Report (@UkrWarReport)
The explosion caused a fire and led to the collapse of a building.
The cause has not yet been established, but local news reports, citing witnesses, said the went off at a place that stored fireworks.
Photos and videos posted on social media showed a thick column of black smoke over the market and what appeared to be a series of detonations can be heard.
Prosecutors meanwhile launched a probe into violations "on stocking inflammable goods", breaches in fire safety standards and the death of people "due to negligence".
In all, 200 firefighters and medical workers were sent to the scene, as well as fire engines and construction site equipment.
used a digger to clear away rubble, an AFP journalist at the scene reported earlier.
The disaster comes as the country of three million people is still recovering from a 2020 war with , which ended in a heavy defeat and sparked a political crisis.
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