
Dead Miner's Brother Charges Akhtala Combine With Negligence
The brother of Garik Aghjyan, a 22 year-old miner who died on February 25 at the #305 Akhtala Mine, says that no one from the company has yet conveyed condolences to his mother.
Hakob Aghjyan also says that company management have yet to provide details regarding his brother’s death. Metal Prince, the company that owns the Akhtala Enrichment Plant, says the miner’s death was due to an accident caused by the miner’s negligence.
Hakob claims that his brother had just started working at the mine and hadn’t been instructed as to safety precautions.
The accident occurred when Garik was operating an electrical locomotive.
Hakob says that driver was an eyewitness to the accident but is afraid of being dismissed if he talks.
The dead miner’s brother says the company donated 200,000 AMD towards funeral expenses; nothing more.
Hakob, who is unemployed, says his brother went to work at the mine to defray the medical bills of their mother who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is scheduled for surgery.
Hetq spoke with Gagik Shahnazaryan, who heads the public relations unit at the Akhtala Combine.
Shahnazaryan said the company had donated 200,000 AMD for the miner’s burial plus an additional 200,000 to Hakob Aghjyan to spend as the family pleased.
Gagik Shahnazaryan says that he and other company officials visited the house but refrained from personally paying their condolences to the dead miner’s mother because it’s “not accepted” for men folk to express commiseration with a female.
The company official also said that the family requested 300,000 AMD for their mother’s operation and that the company promised to pay it.
Shahnazaryan also claimed that Garik had been taught how to operate the equipment.
Hakob Aghjyan denied that he had been given 200,000 AMD.
“They gave my cousin 200,000AMD for the burial. They haven’t given me a dime and I can prove it,” Hakob said.
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