Sputnik Armenia news agency reported that hundreds of people were injured in an explosion that occurred at a gas station in the capital of the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan on Monday, while vehicles were being prepared to leave for Armenia. According to the information, the tank that exploded had a capacity of one hundred tons of fuel. Armenian public television reported a powerful explosion at a fuel depot near the Stepanakert-Askeran highway, confirming that there were both fatalities and injuries.
"200 injuries occurred after a massive fuel tank exploded while a large number of Armenian cars were at the gas station preparing to leave the Karabakh region following Azerbaijan's control," tweeted Khaled Iskef on September 25, 2023.
The region's Interior Ministry stated, "A powerful explosion occurred at a fuel depot near the Stepanakert-Askeran highway. Currently, rescue and medical teams are working on-site. There are victims and injured. Many have been transported to medical facilities," according to Interfax news agency. Local media reported that the number of dead and injured exceeded 200 persons.
The Ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh stated that "most of the injured are in critical condition and will be airlifted elsewhere since Karabakh cannot provide adequate treatment for all of them." Social media footage showed a large number of cars parked in front of the fuel depot at the time of the explosion. Civilians are fleeing the region, and according to the latest data, 6,650 displaced people have arrived in Armenia.
