Two Dead and 14 Missing After Explosions at Bolivia Army Base

Fourteen military personnel remained missing after two explosions tore through a Bolivian army base in Viacha, leaving two people dead and 81 injured. The blasts struck Friday afternoon at a facility where explosives are stored, about 30 kilometers southwest of La Paz.

On Saturday, rubble covered nearby streets and shattered windows marked the force of the explosions. A black plume rose from the damaged building as firefighters cleared debris. Colonel Antonio Amaru, the base commander, said the missing personnel included a sergeant and 13 conscripts aged 18 and 19.

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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.

“Fourteen uniformed personnel who were in the area affected by the two explosions at the Viacha military base have not yet been located,” Amaru said, adding that search-and-rescue efforts were underway. The Defense Ministry identified the two dead as young men in their first year of mandatory military service.

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It is not yet safe for them to return home because some houses were damaged by the shockwave.

The force of the blasts tore off roofs, sent rocks flying and uprooted trees, damaging dozens of homes. Residents were evacuated to a temporary shelter, and power was cut in the affected area. Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said it was not yet safe for residents to return because some houses had been damaged by the shockwave.

“It is not yet safe” for them to return home because “some houses were damaged by the shockwave,” Justiniano said. He said the first blast involved “black powder, corresponding to pyrotechnic material stored at the site,” while investigators continued examining the cause of the second, larger explosion. “At this time, our priority is people: caring for the injured, supporting their families, and continuing search and verification efforts,” he said.

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At this time, our priority is people: caring for the injured, supporting their families, and continuing search and verification efforts.

Military police sealed off the site as relatives sought information. Irineo Mamani, 65, said, “We just want them to tell us if a certain soldier is here, and that’s all.” A neighborhood resident told El Deber that the second blast threw him five meters backward and caused him to lose consciousness.

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We just want them to tell us if a certain soldier is here, and that’s all.