Two dead, 14 people missing after Bolivia army base blasts

Fourteen military personnel remained missing Saturday after two explosions at a Bolivian army base killed two people and injured more than 80.

The blasts occurred Friday afternoon at the base in Viacha, about 30 kilometers southwest of La Paz. Base commander Colonel Antonio Amaru said the missing personnel had been in the area affected by the explosions and that search-and-rescue efforts were continuing.

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Fourteen uniformed personnel who were in the area affected by the two explosions at the Viacha military base have not yet been located.

The missing include a sergeant and 13 conscripts aged 18 and 19 who were carrying out Bolivia’s mandatory one-year military service. The government initially reported that seven people were missing.

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Black powder, corresponding to pyrotechnic material stored at the site.

The cause of the explosions is under investigation. Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said the first blast involved “black powder, corresponding to pyrotechnic material stored at the site.” Authorities were still analyzing the cause of the larger second explosion.

Viacha Mayor Jenrry Patzi said the city, which has 114,000 residents, did not have a single secondary-level hospital capable of handling the incident. “It doesn’t even have a single secondary-level hospital to handle this,” he said.

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It doesn’t even have a single secondary-level hospital to handle this.