Bolivia military base blasts kill at least 10

Two explosions at a military facility storing pyrotechnic material in Bolivia killed at least 10 people, injured dozens and left seven others missing, authorities said, as emergency crews searched damaged buildings and warned residents to keep their distance from the site.

The blasts struck Friday afternoon at a barracks in Viacha, about 30km (18 to 19 miles) from La Paz, where an artillery regiment is stationed. Bolivia’s Ministry of Defence said the explosions occurred in an area used to store pyrotechnic material. Defence officials said the detonation happened at about 14:30 local time (18:30 GMT).

Viacha health director Rita Nebraska told local television that between 10 and 15 people were believed to have died and that 62 others were injured. Al Jazeera reported authorities had confirmed at least 10 deaths, while the BBC reported at least two confirmed dead and said officials feared the toll could rise.

Deputy Minister of Defence Ernesto Justiniano Urenda said about 50 civilians and six military personnel injured in the explosions “have been treated … by the different medical centres of Viacha.” The BBC identified him as Bolivian Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano and reported that he said at least 58 people had been injured when “pyrotechnic material” detonated at the barracks.

Nebraska said 14 of the wounded were transferred to hospitals in La Paz, including a girl with third-degree burns. Police said many civilians were hurt by shattered glass after windows blew out in nearby homes.

Police spokesman Roger Roca said fireworks had been stored at the military facility and that the cause of the explosions remained under investigation. He said seven people were still missing.

Authorities also warned that danger remained at the site. Nebraska said firefighters had detected a continuing heat source and urged residents to stay at least 150 metres away from the base because of the risk of another explosion.

Police said dozens of nearby homes were damaged, mostly by shattered windows, and emergency workers were searching through rubble. Footage posted on social media showed one of the blasts breaking windows in nearby buildings and sending debris into the air as thick black smoke rose from the facility, Al Jazeera reported.

Justiniano Urenda said investigators would examine the cause of the explosions, how the pyrotechnic material was stored and whether anyone was responsible.

Local authorities in Viacha declared three days of mourning after the blasts.