A powerful explosion ripped through a military compound in Viacha, a city in western Bolivia, at around 2:30 pm local time on Friday, killing between 10 and 15 people and injuring at least 58 others. The blast sent panic through the town as residents rushed out of their homes.
Where the blast struck
Officials said the explosion occurred in the section of the base where fireworks-related material was being stored. Bolivia's defence minister, Ernesto Justiniano, said the blast originated in the very depot holding this firework-linked stock, though what actually triggered the explosion has not yet been confirmed.
52 civilians among the injured
According to Justiniano, 52 of the 58 people injured are ordinary civilians, while the remainder are military personnel. That breakdown shows the blast hit far more people living or working nearby than soldiers stationed at the base, underlining how close the facility sits to populated areas.
Death toll still being confirmed
In the immediate aftermath, the exact number of deaths remained unclear. Viacha's health director, Rita Nebraska, estimated that the toll was likely between 10 and 15, indicating that authorities were still reconciling casualty figures rather than citing one confirmed number.
