Two explosions in half an hour leave Bolivia searching for missing conscripts

A day after two explosions tore through a Bolivian army barracks, rescuers and investigators continued searching the rubble for 14 missing soldiers. The blasts killed two military personnel and injured 85 people, leaving families waiting outside the regiment and hospitals for news.

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13 soldiers and one sergeant

The explosions occurred at the Simón Bolívar Regiment in Viacha, near La Paz. Security camera and cellphone footage showed a powerful blast sending a large orange fireball into the sky. People who had gathered after the first explosion panicked when a second, stronger detonation shook the area.

Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Amaru, commander of the Artillery Regiment 2, said those missing included “13 soldiers and one sergeant.” He stressed that the list did not represent confirmed deaths, but people still being sought. The authorities estimated that the incident began with an accidental detonation.

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a list of deceased people, but of people who are being searched for

The search area remained cordoned off. The roofs of ammunition and gunpowder storage buildings had been completely destroyed, but Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said “no type of weapon was detonated” inside the barracks. Around 20 nearby homes suffered structural damage, forcing residents to spend the night with relatives or friends.

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no type of weapon was detonated

Thirty-five of the injured remained hospitalized, including three in critical condition at Cossmil, according to La Paz’s departmental health service. The three seriously injured people had been inside the military facility when the explosions occurred. President Rodrigo Paz ordered an investigation to “clearly establish the causes of this incident, verify compliance with safety protocols and determine responsibilities.” Viacha declared three days of mourning.

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clearly establish the causes of this incident, verify compliance with safety protocols and determine responsibilities