5 Armenians injured in Volgograd blast

February 15, 2012 - 14:00 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian media outlets report that a blast and fire in Bellagio café in 13 Mir Street in the center of Volgograd, Russia, left 20 people with different burn injuries

Reports about the fire in the café came at 9:57pm. Four minutes later the first fire brigade arrived at the site, to confirm a second degree fire and ask for an urgent reinforcement. The fire quickly spread all over the café premises and the apartments on the second floor. A total of 8 tank truck arrived to extinguish the fire; ambulances and police were also called for immediately.

Eye-witnesses say the fire was preceded by blasts in the café hall following which both the café itself and the adjacent premises were on fire. Visitors and the staff fled out of the burning building through windows.

There are five Armenians among those injured: Svetlana Ghazaryan, Agnessa Ghazaryan, Arthur Abrahamyan, Anna Shahbazyan, and Yelena Sahakyan; no information is available so far on whether they are Armenian citizens or not.