Three held responsible for forest fire in Lachin — joint statement

A forest fire in the mountainous area near the villages of Hoçaz and Mollalar in Azerbaijan’s Lachin district was caused by careless behavior, the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Emergency Situations said in a joint statement.

According to the investigation, three residents of Sus village lit a fire that spread across 14 hectares of rugged forest terrain. The suspects have been detained by police and are facing criminal charges.

The investigation is ongoing, while firefighting teams continue efforts to extinguish the remaining fire, officials said.