One of the few gas stations still operating in Stepanakert exploded while fuel was being distributed to fleeing residents as ethnic Armenians are in the process of leaving Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan claimed to put the region under its control last week completely.
Artsakh authorities said Tuesday (September 26) that the explosion killed at least 20 people and injured almost 300 more. Of the dead, 13 were instantly killed at the scene, while the remaining seven were still taken to hospital but succumbed to injuries.
Some of the injured remain in a critical condition in hospital, separatist health officials added.
It was reported that 30 metric tons of gasoline and 34 metric tons of diesel fuel were being sent by Azerbaijan into the region.
Speculation of Sabotage Unlikely, Artsakh Presidential Aide Says
The cause of the explosion remains unknown, but Armenian Karabakh presidential aide David Babayan said initial information suggested that sabotage was unlikely. His Azerbaijani counterpart, Hikmet Hajiyev, stated that hospitals in his country are on standby to treat any explosion victims.
Meanwhile, Armenia's health ministry said a helicopter brought some of the casualties of the blast, with more airlifts expected. Russian peacekeepers in the area are also using its own helicopters to bring in victims to Armenia.
Read Also : Fall of Armenian Karabakh Imminent? Azerbaijan, Artsakh Officials Begin Talks on Fate of Armenian Enclave
Leaving While They Could
Meanwhile, the Armenian government in Yerevan reported Tuesday (Sept. 25) that about 12% of the Armenian population of Karabakh - over 13,500 people - have fled across the border.
According to the Associated Press, residents of Nagorno-Karabakh scrambled to flee as soon as Baku lifted its 10-month blockade on the Lachin Corridor, the region's only road to Armenia. The blockade caused severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.
While Azerbaijani officials made assurances they would respect the rights of ethnic Armenians, many residents feared reprisals and ethnic cleansing, similar to what happened in the first two wars in the region and the Armenian Genocide.
Related Article: Ethnic Armenians Leave Nagorno-Karabakh as Fall of Stepanakert Imminent
