Bolivia: Deadly explosion rocks military base in Viacha

At least 10 people were killed, and 59 were injured after an explosion occurred at an army barracks in Bolivia on Friday, local authorities said.

Earlier, the police reported at least two deaths and several missing persons.

What do we know about the blast?

According to authorities, the blast occurred at around 2:30 p.m. (1830 GMT) local ​time in an area used to store pyrotechnic materials.

The explosion occurred in the western city of Viacha, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the capital, La Paz, at the military base where fireworks were stored. However, the authorities have yet to determine the cause of the explosion.

In a Facebook post, Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said that 52 of the injured were civilians and the rest were military personnel.

The fatalities could be between 10 and 15 people, Viacha health director Rita Nebraska told ‌local television.

Fourteen of the wounded were transferred to hospitals ​in La Paz, including a girl with third-degree burns, she said.

Several homes were damaged as windows broke in the blast, according to the police.

Threat of another blast looms

Nebraska ⁠said firefighters had warned that a heat source remained at ⁠the site, raising ​the risk of another explosion, and urged residents to stay at least 150 meters away.

Rescuers, medical teams and ambulances have been deployed at the site to help the injured and assess the damage.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

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