Today the Prosecutor of Yerevan city held an operational meeting with the investigators of the investigative group conducting the criminal proceedings as well as with the prosecutors of the prosecutor's group supervising over the legality of the preliminary investigation in connection with the explosion in "Surmalu" shopping center, which resulted loss of many lives.
The course of the initiated criminal proceedings and the interim outcomes were discussed. The prosecutor of Yerevan city gave specific instructions regarding the main directions of the investigation, urgent and other actions.
In the framework of the initiated proceedings, necessary actions are being undertaken regarding the circumstances of the incident, especially the causes of the explosion, the status of the building, its contents, the legality of their protection, the state of compliance with safety and fire prevention requirements in that area, in order to find out the scope of the responsible people and to give a legal assessment to their actions.
Today at 10:30, the investigators and experts started a partial inspection of the scene, the prosecutors of the prosecutor's group were also taking parting in these actions. Taking into account that cooling and search at the place it is still impossible to approach to the very center of the fire and explosion in order to carry out necessary measures to obtain data regarding the causes. The latter will be carried out immediately after the completion of the primary measures in the mentioned area, and immediately after neutralizing the risk of possible collapses and ensuring sufficient safety conditions.
About two dozen people were interrogated in the framework of the criminal proceedings, including victims and owners of shops in the shopping center. This process continues, in accordance with the planning of the examination, the representatives and employees of the “Surmalu” fair will also be interrogated.
All data related to the business entities next to the fair were demanded, all video recording devices located in the area adjacent to the scene were confiscated.
Works aimed at the recognition and identification of the bodies of the people taken out of the ruins are being undertaken.
Forensic explosives, forensic engineering, forensic fire engineering, forensic architectural and technical, forensic audio and forensic computer technical expertises were appointed. Based on the results of today's consultation, the Prosecutor of Yerevan City has set the task of appointing forensic explosive technology expertise.
The Prosecutor of Yerevan city has sent all hypotheses to the investigative body in order to find out whether they are trustworthy and make them subject of investigation.
The received data on the progress of the investigation is regularly reported to the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia, who gives instructions.
The RA Prosecutor's Office will be consistent in guaranteeing full, comprehensive and objective investigation, in order to reveal fully the circumstances of this tragedy.
