Justiniano reports 58 injured in Viacha and declines to confirm deaths

Bolivia’s Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano reported 58 people injured after explosions at a military facility in Viacha, while declining to confirm reports from residents that people had died.

The injured include 52 civilians and six military personnel, according to a message published by the minister. Firefighters had brought the blaze under control and were cooling the site while teams searched and checked the debris.

Residents filmed what appeared to be a fire inside the General Maintenance Center RAM-2 Bolívar on Friday afternoon. Smoke rose above one of the buildings near the entrance. Several small explosions followed, sounding like gunfire, before a larger blast sent people fleeing.

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There are preliminary reports about possible fatalities, but I want to be responsible: we will not give any figure for deaths until that information has been fully confirmed.

A second explosion struck about 20 minutes after the first and caused the most serious damage. The blast wave cut electricity across the town and cracked homes as far as four blocks from the barracks.

Justiniano said authorities would investigate the cause of the detonation, the conditions under which the material had been stored and any resulting responsibilities. “There are preliminary reports about possible fatalities, but I want to be responsible: we will not give any figure for deaths until that information has been fully confirmed,” he said. He added that the priority was treating the injured, supporting their families and continuing the search and verification work.

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At this moment, our priority is people: treating the injured, supporting their families and continuing the search and verification work.