On July 24, Ararat Regional Rescue Department of the Rescue Service of the MIA conducted a multi-component special tactical training exercise on "Firefighting and Rescue Activities" at one of the brandy factories located in the region. The goal was to enhance the coordinated response capabilities of unified emergency forces at a production facility under potential large-scale accident conditions.

The exercise involved personnel from the Rescue Service and regional Police units, emergency medical teams from the Artashat Medical Center, emergency recovery crews from "Araks" of Armenian Electric Networks and Gazprom Armenia’s Artashat gasification and gas supply branches, emergency repair groups from the territorial division of “Veolia Water,” as well as employees and equipment from Artashat communal services.

According to the scenario, a fire broke out in the temporary alcohol container storage area due to a short circuit in electrical wiring, which was followed by an explosion. The explosion partially collapsed an adjacent production building and damaged the factory’s communal and energy systems.

As a result of the conditional explosion and partial collapse, two employees suffered various degrees of bodily injuries and were trapped in the production building, while two other workers located in the fire zone received various degrees of burns.

The rescue groups arriving at the scene promptly assessed the situation, conducted reconnaissance, firefighting, rope and rescue operations, searched for the conditional victims, provided first aid, and transported them to the ambulance. Simultaneously, emergency recovery work was carried out.

The exercise was conducted at a high organizational level, ensuring effective cooperation between the involved units, precise operational response, and demonstration of professional expertise. The actions performed based on a realistic scenario contributed to deepening the participants’ skills, improving professional capabilities, and strengthening rapid decision-making abilities.

This initiative serves as a prime example of comprehensive multi-sectoral preparedness for emergency responses, highlighting the indispensable role of cooperation between various agencies.