13 January 2012, 19:00
A native of Armenia detained in connection with the case of an explosion in an Italian restaurant in Moscow
Committee of Inquiry (CI) of Russia reported that Suren Mkrtchyan, General Director of "Casabella" limited corporation, was detained within the framework of a criminal case of an explosion in an Italian restaurant "Il Pittore" in Moscow, he is currently being interrogated.
As a result of the explosion in the Italian restaurant on January, 9, three employees of the restaurant perished, 38 more persons were wounded and hospitalized. Initially, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that an explosion of two 50-liters domestic gas tanks caused demolition of the walls and overlaps and a fire within the area of 300 square meters. CI did not specify its version of the cause of the explosion.
The investigators are currently interrogating Mkrtchyan as a suspect. CI reports that today the investigation will appeal to court to take Mkrtchyan into custody.
The criminal case is presently under investigation based on indications to crimes stipulated by clauses "involuntary homicide", "rendering services off-standard security", "involuntary destruction or damaging property", web-site of CI of Russia reports.
The position of the detainee or his attorneys is yet unknown. Meanwhile, Deputy Director General of the restaurant Samvel Muradyan suggested his own version of the accident. He assumes that the explosion and fire that followed which resulted in a loss of three persons were caused by an impact from outside, "Interfax" reports.
