As the exodus from the ethnic Armenian enclave after its capture by Azerbaijani forces continued unabatedly, the casualty toll from a fuel storage explosion in Nagorno-Karabakh rose to 170 on Friday.
The explosion that occurred on Monday in the rebel stronghold of Stepanakert added to the ongoing human drama along the recent week-long high mountain border between enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Refugees from Karabakh were rushing to fill up at one of the few operating gas stations before departing their homeland because a nine-month Azerbaijani blockade had cut off their supplies of everything from food to medication.
A fireball the size of a football field erupted high into the night sky, as captured by the terrified families. Hundreds were injured, and many are still missing.
The separatist authorities said on Friday that “170 remains” of deceased that will be taken to Armenia for identification had been pieced together by forensic experts.
Additionally, 349 persons, the majority of whom had serious and life-threatening burns, were being treated in hospitals throughout the area.
The United Nations will send a mission to Nagorno-Karabakh this weekend, mainly to assess humanitarian needs, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced, adding that the body had not had access to the region “in about 30 years.”
Blast survivor Samvel Hambardzyumyan said he only escaped serious injury because there were others in front of him in the petrol queue. “If they hadn’t been there, I would have been burned alive,” the 61-year-old said.
