Colonel Questioned: Refutes Statements Made on Air

The head of the Rescue Service, Colonel Arsen Saroyan, has been summoned by the Investigative Committee of Armenia and questioned, as reported by Armlur.am. He was invited for questioning regarding statements he made during a broadcast on Public Television about a fire that occurred on January 19 in a military unit's barracks.

What did Colonel Arsen Saroyan say? He clearly stated that there were 21 individuals inside, 14 of whom were found lying on their beds. Six people managed to escape the burning building before the rescuers arrived; three of them were hospitalized. “I assume that 14 of the 15 deceased soldiers died from smoke inhalation, and they did not even have the chance to get up,” he mentioned.

According to the media outlet, following this statement, there was confusion among the investigative body, as they found only one soldier on a bed, while the others were located in different parts of the room, near the window, on the floor, and elsewhere. It has also been noted that the colonel was summoned to clarify discrepancies related to this and other statements, and interestingly, exclusive information received indicates that he did not stand by his previous statements made on Public Television during the questioning, suggesting that he did not confirm his televised words.