Explosion at Bolivian military base kills two, leaves seven missing and 59 injured

An explosion at a military base in Viacha, Bolivia, left two people dead, seven missing and 59 injured, according to the Bolivian Police. The blast occurred on Friday afternoon, Sept. 4, at the General Maintenance Center of the RAM-2 Bolívar.

Police National Deputy Commander Col. Roger Roca said the incident had been brought under control. Authorities had physically confirmed two deaths and continued searching for the missing people.

The Defense Ministry said in a preliminary report that an accidental detonation involving pyrotechnic material stored at the base caused significant material damage. The police have not publicly established a hypothesis for the explosion, and officials ordered a technical investigation into the cause, storage conditions and any responsibilities that may arise.

The facility is in Viacha, a municipality about 35 kilometers from La Paz, Bolivia's seat of government and legislature. The blast also damaged nearby homes, especially windows and doors, according to videos circulated by local media and on social networks.

La Paz's Departmental Health Service activated an emergency and contingency plan with the Health Ministry to transfer and treat the injured. Eight people suffered major injuries, seven minors were among those affected, and at least 52 of the 59 injured were civilians. The authorities had not confirmed the identities of the two dead. Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said emergency, evacuation and medical-care mechanisms had been activated, while the area was isolated and secured and support was being provided to affected families and neighbors.