11:51,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. One of the three victims who are hospitalized after the explosion in Yerevan State University (YSU) on Friday is a police officer who was responding to the incident, police said in a statement. The officer is being treated for smoke inhalation.
1 administrative employee of YSU was killed in the blast. The YSU earlier said that the other victims are also YSU administrative employees.
Police said emergency personnel and hazmat teams responded to the explosion call at 09:37, November 17.
The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation.
The blast happened in the basement room of the chemistry faculty of YSU. The room serves as a pumping station and a locker room for employees, police said. The adjacent room is the storage of chemical materials, which was not damaged. Chemists inspected the area as a precaution and no hazardous gases were detected in the air, police said.
Responding emergency crews included firefighters, rescuers, paramedics and hazmat specialists.
The fire was put out at 10:23.
The YSU spokesperson, Knar Misakyan, said that the fire and subsequent explosion were apparently caused by voltage fluctuations. She said that the fire was not caused by chemical materials stored in the Chemistry Faculty and that all materials are undamaged and in place.
Health authorities said one of the three hospitalized victims is in critical condition.
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