Armenia to conduct drug testing due to fire incident in military barrack

The spokesman for the Armenian Investigative Committee Gor Abrahamyan has said that drug testing will be conducted in connection with a fire incident in the temporary barracks of the engineer-sapper company of the Armenian Armed Forces in Azat village.

“It is necessary to conduct drug testing to fully clarify all the circumstances of the incident,” Abrahamyan told reporters, according to Caliber.Az.

Earlier, the Zhoghovurd newspaper wrote that the investigative bodies suspect that there were drugs in the barracks.

It is necessary to explain to the relatives of the victims why the soldiers could not get out of the fire-engulfed premises, the newspaper adds.

According to the newspaper, the captain, who is accused in the case, could not wake up the sleeping soldiers. He allegedly shouted loudly, but, according to his testimony, the soldiers were unconscious.

The fire in the temporary barracks for the engineering company of the Armenian Armed Forces, broke out on January 19 night at 01:30 (GMT+4). As a result, 15 servicemen died and three injured were taken to the Burn Centre.