Four Individuals Detained in Military Base Fire Case: Vardapetyan

The Prosecutor General of Armenia, Anna Vardapetyan, has addressed the incident of the military base fire in the village of Azat, stating that at present, four individuals have been detained, and charges have been filed against them for failing to fulfill their obligations to ensure safety.

“Currently, the representatives of the victims and their legal successors have submitted motions, and we have disagreements regarding the examinations that are under discussion. From the outset, this case has been under the direct attention of the prosecutor's office and myself. In this regard, we are consistent, as we have individuals in custody, to ensure the proceedings are examined as quickly as possible; however, speed does not mean only investigating one version, as we are constantly being criticized for focusing on just one hypothesis,” the prosecutor stated.

Vardapetyan highlighted that all theories are being investigated: “The theories proposed by parents are also being examined,” she said.

It is noteworthy that on January 19, around 1:30 AM, a fire broke out in the barracks of the engineering battalion of the Armenian Ministry of Defense’s military base located in the Gegharkunik region, village of Azat. As a result of the fire, 15 individuals lost their lives, and 7 soldiers were injured.

Immediately following the incident, two high-ranking military officials were dismissed, including the commander of the 2nd Army Corps.