Epress.am News from Armenia
An Armenian family who were caught in a gas explosion in their home in Aintab town of Ararat province staged a protest on Thursday, July 16, near the RA Government building, demanding “fair trial” for those guilty for the gas line explosion. Nine members of their family, the Petrosyans claim, have suffered injuries of various degrees in the blast. In addition, the family have lost their house, and have been renting an apartment ever since; trial, however, has been “dragged out”, while Gazprom-Armenia “is trying to escape responsibility.”
Artak Petrosyan, the oldest son of the family, told Epress.am that the pipeline exploded in their yard in 2013. Prior to the accident, Petrosyan said, they had turned to the gas utility for help, but to no avail.
“It has already been proven that the gas line had been constructed [in the yard] against all legal norms. We have [the results of forensic] examinations. Gazprom-Armenia, however, is demanding a second examination to escape responsibility,” Artak Petrosyan said. The company, he added, has once paid the family a compensation of AMD 3 million, “but that's not a solution as you can't buy a house with that money.” The Petrosyans are now demanding a house as a compensation.
“The court has not even examined our civil suit, even though they had previously requested it be attached to the criminal case, which has also been dragged out. They have not even initiated criminal proceedings yet; those guilty have not been charged. […] The Government has given us rent money a few times, but that’s not a solution. [The Government] can rein Gazprom-Armenia in so that they don't blow people up,” Artak Petrosyan said.