Explosion on Rainis Street in Yerevan, 12 Apartments Partially Collapsed; Prime Minister and Minister of Emergency Situations on Site

The Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that at 07:18 today, August 26, a call was received at the National Crisis Management Center indicating that an explosion had occurred at 3 Rainis Street in Yerevan due to a gas leak, causing partial collapse of the building.

Seven firefighting teams were dispatched from the Yerevan Rescue Department, alongside emergency and medical support units from the National Crisis Management Center.

At 09:13, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan posted on his Facebook page that as a result of the explosion, 12 apartments in the same entrance were partially collapsed, and three citizens were trapped under the rubble.

“This morning, an explosion resulted in a collapse in a four-story building located at 1 Rainis Street in the Kanaker-Zeytun administrative district of Yerevan. The preliminary cause of the explosion has been determined to be a natural gas leak. Twelve apartments in the same entrance have partially collapsed. Nineteen residents have exited the collapsed section either by themselves or with the help of rescuers. According to initial data, three citizens remained trapped under the rubble. Rescuers have retrieved two of them. One was brought out just moments ago. Both are conscious,” the Prime Minister wrote.

I visited the site this morning and got acquainted with the situation. Rescue operations are ongoing,” he added.