Fireworks warehouse explodes in Armenian shopping mall, killing two and injuring 60


Explosions destroyed a fireworks warehouse at a shopping center in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Sunday (August 14th), Russian news agencies reported, killing two people and injuring 60.

Video footage showed thick gray smoke rising above a building, followed by an explosion that sent people fleeing.

People were trying to clear rubble and debris from a building that had suffered extensive damage as clouds of dust and smoke wafted through the air. Other passers-by were helping the victims.

The Armenian Health Ministry said the number of injured people had reached 60, of whom 22 had already been discharged. Two people died, the ministry said on Telegram.

Firefighters were struggling to contain the blaze as fireworks continued to explode, complicating the search and rescue operation, TASS said citing the head of the ministry’s rescue service.

It is not immediately clear what caused the fireworks to explode.