Three Suspects Identified in 'Kanaz' Cultural House Fire Incident

As a result of joint efforts by the National Police's Community Police Department and the National Security Service, three individuals were identified and presented to the investigative body on March 27, suspected of committing arson inside a building on Azatutyan Boulevard on March 25. This information was reported by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Narek Sargsyan.

It is noteworthy that a criminal case has been initiated concerning the fire that broke out in the non-operational four-story building of the former 'Kanaz' Cultural House located at 19 Azatutyan Boulevard in Yerevan. The Investigative Committee of Armenia disclosed this.

The criminal proceedings have been initiated under Article 264, Part 2, Clause 2 of the Criminal Code (destruction or damage of property through arson, explosion, or other dangerous methods). An investigation is ongoing, and comprehensive expert examinations have been appointed.

On March 25, at 19:12, the 112 operational management center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs received a report about a fire breaking out in one of the buildings on Azatutyan Boulevard in Yerevan. Following the '1 BIS' alarm signal, four fire-rescue teams, one aerial platform, and a standby team from the Fire-Avoidance and Rescue Operations Organization were dispatched to the scene.

It was determined that the fire started in the four-story building of the former 'Kanaz' Cultural House at 19 Azatutyan Boulevard. Due to the complexity of the fire, a 'Type 3 Alarm' was declared, requiring eight firefighting units, two water carriers, a psychological support team, and a medical service team to respond to the situation.

The fire was contained by 21:11 and completely extinguished by 23:44. Firefighters managed to prevent the fire from spreading to the first floor of the building and the adjacent residential structures. During the firefighting operations, firefighters evacuated residents from dangerous areas of neighboring buildings to a safe location.

Additionally, police patrol units, employees from Armenia's Electric Networks and gas emergency services, ambulance teams, and four water carriers from the Yerevan municipality were involved in the operation on site.

Furthermore, just hours after the fire was extinguished, while the area was still under direct impact, top specialists from the 'Expertise Center' state non-commercial organization were already on-site. Comprehensive examinations were conducted covering several areas: a fire-technical investigation to determine the ignition source and cause, a structural examination to assess the integrity and extent of damage to the structure, and a product examination to calculate property and material damages. Thanks to the rapid action of our experts, a complete picture of the fire is expected to be compiled in a short time, leading to professional conclusions.