On the night of June 6, an explosion occurred at a gas station along the Yerevan-Sevan highway, causing damage. The explosion happened at a construction site where renovation work was being carried out. Seven people were hospitalized as a result. The investigation revealed that the explosion happened at a gas station owned by the construction company responsible for the renovations. This company had previously been involved in violations.

The explosion occurred at the 2nd km of the Yerevan-Sevan highway, not closer to the village of Arzni as initially reported. It actually happened about 650 meters away from the Arzni passenger transport station. The gas-benzene station, which sells gasoline and diesel, is located there. It is situated near the village of Arzni in the Kotayk province. The station is operated by “Gas Oil” CJSC, owned by Rafayel Ayvazyan, a 41-year-old resident of Yerevan. Although registered in Ayvazyan’s name, the station is physically located in Arzni.

Due to the ongoing investigation into the accident and concerns about risks and safety violations, the Ministry of Emergency Situations has decided to suspend the company’s operations starting in 2023. This comes after a series of accidents related to safety violations. The director of the company is Rafayel Ayvazyan, who also has political involvement. He has previously headed the YUG-Gas Group and AsOil CJSC, both recognized as gas stations in 2019. The company has appealed to the State Environmental Inspectorate, with the appeal being successful in the case of the YUG-Gas Group.

The gas-benzene station’s operations were suspended for 2.5 years due to concerns about safety. In early 2023, the State Environmental Inspectorate published a list of companies that had violated operational rules, and “Gas Oil” was fined more than 1 million drams. The company received two fines during this period, totaling 2,044,000 drams.

An inspection of the station’s operational and technical conditions was announced on February 14. The decision to seal off the company until the inspection was completed was made due to findings that its operations did not comply with regulatory norms and standards, posing a risk to public safety. The station was closed “for technical inspection.”

On February 19, the City Administration, Technical and Emergency Security Inspection announced that a technical inspection had been conducted regarding the operational and technical conditions of the gas-benzene station operated by “Gas Oil” CJSC located at 6/1 Yerevan-Sevan highway.

Rafayel Ayvazyan, the owner of “Gas Oil” CJSC, is not only involved in business but also in political activities. He is a member of the Republican Party of Armenia and has held various political positions in the past. During the last parliamentary elections, he represented the Central Committee of the Republican Party.

According to “HETQ,” it is clear that Rafayel Ayvazyan, the CEO of “Gas Oil” CJSC, is not just a businessman but also actively involved in politics. His Facebook page states that he is an assistant to Gagik Tsarukyan, the head of the Republican Party of Armenia.

(Source: NEWS.am on Telegram)