Residents of Ashotaberd district in Armenia’s Stepanavan claim fire that took lives of three people threatens them all

Residents of Ashotaberd district of Armenia’s town of Stepanavan are planning to carry out protest actions after the fire in one of the houses killed 3 today early in the morning.

More than 1,000 people are living in the district. They claim that the danger threatens to each of their families.

“The district has 30-year old history, the buildings were given to the residents after 1988 earthquake with 10 year period but the people live there for over 20 years. The buildings are made of wood which has already rotten,” spokesperson for the Stepanavan municipality Sargis Gokoryan told Aysor.am.

He said such tragedy may happen in any apartment each moment as all the 290 families living in the district heat their apartments with wood or electric heaters which is dangerous for that district.

Gokoryan said the fire brigade of Stepanavan acted very operatively which saved the whole building and other apartments from being burnt completely.

“For many years the head of the district applied to the government and described the situation. Of course all the applications were rejected due to lack of means. But now they are going to apply to the government again and see what measures will be undertaken,” he said, claiming that the issue is very urgent as the tragedy may happen at any moment.

Today early in the morning the 911 service received a call about fire in Ashotaberd district of Stepanavan town, Lori region.

Emergency Ministry reported that fire broke in one of the apartments of two-storeyed wooden building. The rescuers found bodies of two residents of the apartment – V.H. (born in 1982) and A.N. (born in 1959). The rescuers also took D.H. (born in 1992) and G.G. (born in 2006) from the burning apartment. They were transported to hospital where G.G. (born in 2006) died.