The death toll in an explosion at a fireworks depot in the Armenian capital rose to six, he said Monday, as rescuers searched for casualties among the wreckage.
On Sunday, a loud explosion devastated the warehouse of a popular market in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, triggering a large chimney that sent an imposing plume of thick smoke over the city.
First, authorities said two other people were killed, but the death toll has risen as rescuers search for victims among slabs of concrete and twisted metal.
Another 18 people are still missing and at least 61 other people were injured.
The market, about a mile south of downtown, is popular for its low costs and products.
It is known what caused the fireworks to ignite, but the government has ruled out a terrorist attack.