The Ministry of Emergency Situations says firefighters and rescuers are working on the scene at the popular market called Surmalu where both wholesale and retail trade is available.
According to Taguhi Stepanian, director of an ambulance service, dozens of injured people have been taken to different hospitals in the Armenian capital.
It was immediately unclear what caused the blast. Videos posted on social media showed black smoke rising from the Surmalu market where, among other things, fireworks and other pyrotechnics are sold.
Levon Sardarian, a spokesman for Yerevan’s municipality, later confirmed reports that the explosion took place at the fireworks warehouse.
He said rescuers were on the scene trying to pull out injured people from under the rubble after a three-storey building had partially collapsed.