At least 3 people were killed and dozens injured in an unexplained explosion that occurred on Sunday in a commercial district of Yerevan, the Armenian authorities announced.
"According to preliminary data, there was an explosion that led to a fire," the Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement.
It announced the killing of 3 people, noting that about 40 wounded were being treated in hospitals.
The ministry published the names of 25 people whose fate is unknown to them, talking about the possibility that they were stuck under the rubble of a building that collapsed as a result of the explosion.
The explosion occurred shortly after noon on Sunday in the wholesale market in Surmalo, and the media quoted witnesses as saying that the explosion occurred in a place where fireworks are stored, but the authorities did not issue a statement in this regard.
Video clips and photos spread on social media showed a thick column of black smoke rising, and in another recording, successive explosions could be heard, like the sounds of fireworks.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations announced that relief workers pulled 10 survivors from under the rubble.
Volunteers are participating in the search and removal of rubble conducted by about 200 firefighting and relief personnel, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, which also indicated the participation of trucks and vehicles.
The Russian Embassy issued a statement offering condolences to the families and relatives of the victims.
Armenia, a small country in the Caucasus with a population of about 3 million, has been going through a difficult period since the 2020 war with neighboring Azerbaijan, which ended in defeat and political crisis.
Shortly after the explosion in Surmalo market, the Yerevan metro was evacuated due to a bomb threat, according to the authorities, who later clarified that no explosive devices were eventually found inside.