(Yerevan) An explosion of undetermined origin on Sunday left at least one dead and twenty injured in a commercial area in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, announced the authorities of this Caucasian country.
Posted at 7:28
Updated at 11:35 a.m.
“According to preliminary data, an explosion occurred which started a fire,” the Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement, reporting one dead and “about 20 injured” according to a first balance sheet.
The origin of the explosion, which occurred in the early afternoon at the Surmalu wholesale market, was not immediately known.
Videos and photos circulating on social media showed a thick column of black smoke rising into the sky. On a video, you could hear several explosions in succession, like the crackling of fireworks.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, 10 fire engines were on the scene and 10 others were on their way to lend a hand.
A small Caucasian country of about three million people, Armenia has been going through a difficult period since a 2020 war against neighboring Azerbaijan that ended in heavy defeat and a major political crisis.