Details on Poisoning Incident at Medical College

Today, our efforts to clarify details regarding an emergency incident that occurred at the Yerevan State Base Medical College have increased the confusion surrounding the event.

At noon, we learned that there was commotion at the college, with rumors circulating that there had been an explosion or that some individuals from outside released gas in the building.

The police information service stated that around 10:52, the "911" service received a call indicating that students on the third floor of the medical college at 10 Koryuni Street had exploded a balloon, leading to cases of suffocation. They noted that an operational group was dispatched to the scene.

Later, it was added that one student had been taken to the hospital and that materials were being prepared regarding the incident.

Subsequently, we learned from other sources that a gas smell had been detected in the classroom, students had begun to feel unwell, and those nearby assumed that the balloon in the classroom had exploded. However, it was soon clarified that the balloon was harmless. There was speculation that there might be a gas leak; however, that was also shortly denied.

Specialists from the Ministry of Emergency Situations also arrived at the scene. The minister's press secretary, Edmond Zargaryan, told "Haykakan Zhamanak" that the experts found nothing unusual; there was no gas leak, and the air was not contaminated, with ministry employees not locating any balloon either. According to Zargaryan, it is probable that the college's deputy director assumed that the balloon explosion might be connected to the existing odor and the students' deterioration in health.

In a conversation with us, the director of Yerevan Emergency Medical Assistance LLC, Takhukhi Stepanyan, stated that they too had received a call at that time, and they provided assistance to several students on site; however, none of them had serious issues, and they did not transport anyone to the hospital.

We managed to confirm that one injured individual was transported from the college to the Kanaker-Zeytun Medical Center by a private vehicle. Officials here confirmed this information and noted that a 29-year-old individual, E.M., was examined by a reanimatologist and diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning; thereafter, E.M. was transported by ambulance to the toxicology department of the Armenia Republican Medical Center.