Witness Testifies in Fire Incident: 'Entered the Sleeping Room and Yelled for Everyone to Come Out, But No One Did'

Yesterday, during an interrogation at the Burn Treatment Center, Colonel Yeghishe Hakobyan testified in the case concerning the deaths of 15 servicemen in a fire that broke out on January 19 in the barracks of the engineer-sapper battalion. The information was provided to Sputnik Armenia by his lawyer, Hovsep Sargsyan.

The interrogation is not yet complete, but according to the lawyer, Yeghishe recounted all the details he knew about the incident.

“The issue is that two days ago, Yeghishe underwent surgery under anesthesia, which involved skin grafting from his leg to his arms. He wasn’t in excellent health; he was just able to talk and started giving testimony. He became fatigued during the process, and his condition worsened, so he was taking medication periodically,” said the lawyer, explaining why the interrogation was left unfinished.

Moreover, the four-hour time limit for the interrogation had expired, and the investigator was not authorized to continue. When asked whether Hakobyan's testimony would change the course of the case, the lawyer replied that they needed the complete facts of the case first. Sargsyan noted that it was evident from Hakobyan’s testimony that military discipline had not been maintained and that no security systems were operational. Yeghishe Hakobyan provided details relating to the conditions of military service.

The lawyer also reported that Hakobyan had been present in the barracks at the request of his fellow servicemen, despite not being supposed to be there. Yeghishe attempted to light the stove, which sparked a fire; however, he also expressed uncertainty about how this was related to the servicemen's deaths.

“Yeghishe said he was the first to catch fire; his face was almost 100 percent burned, and it’s astonishing that no one was awakened by his inhuman cries. Additionally, he stated that another soldier entered the sleeping room and shouted for everyone to get out, but no one did. Furthermore, according to Yeghishe, there was a 15-20 minute window before the fire reached the servicemen's sleeping area. He is very surprised, asking how no one got out,” recounted the lawyer.

He added that it is also perplexing for Yeghishe that two soldiers at the end of the sleeping area managed to escape while the others did not.

Incidentally, Yeghishe Hakobyan’s interrogation will not continue today, although the investigator was informed that they are willing to complete the testimony as soon as possible.

Previously, Hovsep Sargsyan had reported that Yeghishe had refused to testify previously as he was unable to due to health reasons. He had been charged with violating rules regarding handling materials that pose a danger to the environment.

It is recalled that on January 19, around 01:30, a fire broke out in the barracks of the engineer-sapper battalion located in the area of the village of Azat, Gegharkunik Province. As a result of the fire, 15 servicemen died, and 7 others sustained injuries.

Immediately following the incident, the commander of the 2nd Army Corps and other high-ranking military officials were dismissed from their positions. Criminal proceedings were initiated under part 4 of Article 532 of the RA Criminal Code (violating rules regarding handling materials posing a greater danger to the environment, which negligently caused the deaths of two or more individuals). Criminal proceedings were also initiated regarding the apparent negligence by officials in adhering to established fire safety regulations and their associated operational functions.

In connection with this case, Gagik Aghekyan, the deputy head of rear command and communal services of the RA Ministry of Defense, has been arrested.