DistantNews
Support us
🇲🇽 Mexico /Conflict & Security

Explosion at Bolivian military barracks leaves two dead, seven missing and 59 injured

From El Universal · () Spanish

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

At a glance

News Official statement Under investigation
  • An explosion at the General Maintenance Center of the RAM-2 Bolívar military facility in Viacha, near La Paz, killed two people and injured about 59, Bolivian police said.
  • Seven people remained missing, while authorities reported significant damage to the barracks and nearby homes.
  • Officials said they were investigating the cause after an initial Defense Ministry report described the blast as an accidental detonation of stored pyrotechnic material.

An explosion at a military barracks in Bolivia's La Paz department left two people dead, seven missing and about 59 injured, according to the national police. The blast occurred Friday afternoon at the General Maintenance Center of the RAM-2 Bolívar facility in Viacha, about 35 kilometers from La Paz.

Police said the incident had been brought under control. National police deputy commander Roger Roca told reporters that authorities had physically confirmed two deaths and were still searching for seven missing people. He said investigators were working to determine what happened, without offering a hypothesis about the cause.

At this time, the incident is under control. We regret that seven people are currently missing, and it has been physically confirmed that two people have died.

· Roger RocaBolivia's national police deputy commander described the confirmed deaths and missing people after the explosion.

The Defense Ministry's initial report described an "accidental" detonation involving pyrotechnic material stored at the barracks. It said the facility suffered "considerable" material damage. Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said emergency, evacuation and medical-response mechanisms were activated immediately.

Investigation activities are being carried out to determine what happened at this site.

· Roger RocaThe police official said authorities were investigating without offering a cause.

Justiniano said officials had ordered the area secured and isolated, medical support for the injured, assistance for affected families and neighbors, and a full damage assessment. He also said a technical investigation would examine how the material had been stored and identify any responsibilities that might apply.

The La Paz Departmental Health Service activated an emergency and contingency plan with the Health Ministry to transfer and treat the injured. The agency said eight injuries were "of great magnitude" and that seven minors were among those hurt. Videos shared by local media and on social networks showed the blast's impact on Viacha, including damage mainly to windows and doors in homes near the barracks.

From the very first moment, emergency, evacuation and medical-care mechanisms were activated.

· Ernesto JustinianoBolivia's defense minister described the initial emergency response.
About this summary

Originally published by El Universal 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.

More Stories

From Our Blog