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🇦🇷 Argentina /Conflict & Security

Bolivia military-base explosions leave six dead and 11 missing

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Under investigation
  • The death toll from explosions at a military facility in Viacha, Bolivia, rose to six, while 11 people remained missing, the Defense Ministry said.
  • At least 84 people were injured, and nearby residents were temporarily evacuated after blasts damaged the base and surrounding homes.
  • Authorities are investigating the cause, while prosecutors opened a case involving alleged negligent homicide, negligent injuries and other damage.

Six people have died and 11 remain missing after two explosions tore through a military maintenance center in Viacha, Bolivia, leaving at least 84 people injured and damaging nearby homes.

The blasts struck the General Maintenance Center of the RAM-2 Bolívar Mechanized Artillery Regiment on Friday. Police, rescuers and military personnel continued moving debris at the site, located in Bolivia’s highlands about 35 kilometers from La Paz.

considerably greater

· Ernesto JustinianoBolivia’s defense minister described the second explosion and said its cause had not yet been technically determined.

Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said a preliminary report identified two detonations. The first allegedly involved black powder used in pyrotechnic material stored at the facility. The second was “considerably greater,” but its technical cause had not been determined.

multiplier

· Police expertA police expert explained the role of boosters found at the military facility.

Authorities also found boosters at the base. A police expert described them as a “multiplier” that can increase the force of another explosive when it detonates. Military material was removed from another damaged depot, and residents were warned that approaching the area remained unsafe because specialists still needed to inspect affected sites and compromised structures.

Prosecutors opened an investigation into alleged negligent homicide, negligent injuries and other damage. President Rodrigo Paz expressed solidarity with the families of those killed, the injured and affected residents, saying that “in moments like this, the priority of the state must be to protect life.” He ordered a thorough, technical and transparent investigation to establish the causes of the explosions.

in moments like this, the priority of the state must be to protect life

· Rodrigo PazBolivia’s president expressed solidarity with victims and called for the causes to be established.
About this summary

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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