Three detained over defunct cultural building fire in Yerevan

The Armenian Interior Ministry said three people have been detained and handed over to investigators in connection with a fire that broke out at a defunct cultural building in Yerevan earlier this week.

The suspects were located during a joint operation by community police and NSS officers on Friday, ministry spokesman Narek Sargsyan said. They are accused of setting property ablaze inside the former Kanaz Cultural Center on Azatutyun Avenue on March 25.

The blaze, reported at 7:12 p.m. local time, engulfed the four‑storey building and took firefighters more than four hours to extinguish it. Crews managed to prevent the flames from spreading to the ground floor and nearby residential buildings.