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Incident

Fire at Baku drug rehab center was arson, one arrested

06 March 2018 09:21 (UTC +04:00)

A Baku city resident has been detained as a suspect after a deadly fire that occurred at the Republican Drug Rehabilitation Center on March 3, reads a joint statement of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Interior Ministry.

Baku resident Mahammad Mammadov is receiving treatment at the Center under the diagnosis of alcohol-related psychological and behavioral disorders, the statement says.

“In his preliminary testimony, Mammadov said he attempted to commit suicide as a form of protest to his family members as he did not want to be treated at the drug rehabilitation center. On March 2, around 06:00 (UTC +4 hours), he set fire to his blanket with the goal of committing suicide. As the flame intensified, he changed his mind and threw the blanket on his bed. Afraid that the fire would spread to other wards, he immediately left the center as soon as the doors opened,” says the statement.

The statement further says that these facts are confirmed by witness testimony and records from surveillance cameras installed at the center.

A measure of restraint in the form of arrest was chosen for Mahammad Mammadov who is charged under Article 120.2.4 (premeditated murder, committed with special cruelty or in publicly dangers way), 120.2.7 (premeditated murder of two or more persons), 120.2.9 (premeditated murder of a person in a helpless condition) and 186.2.2 (deliberate destruction or damage of property by an arson, explosion or other publicly dangers way) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

In addition, a complex of forensic psychiatric, psychological and narcological examinations were assigned to Mammadov.

A fire broke out at the Republican Drug Rehabilitation Center in Baku on March 2, resulting in multiple causalities.

A criminal case has been initiated under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code and a team has been set up of experienced investigators.

Upon the order of the president of Azerbaijan, the victims as well as the center’s medical staff have been interrogated as witnesses in order to investigate the causes of the accident and arrest those guilty of what happened.