At least two dead in blast at Bolivia military barracks — SkimNews
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- Bolivian Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano said at least two people died and 81 were injured when "pyrotechnic material" detonated at the Viacha barracks, where an artillery regiment was stationed, around 14:30 local time Friday.
- Health official Rita Nebraska told local television the actual death toll was likely 10-15 and warned of a risk of further explosion, urging residents to stay at least 150m from the military base.
- Base commander Colonel Antonio Amaru said a sergeant and 13 conscripted soldiers aged 18-19 were among the 14 people still missing.
- Police spokesman Roger Roca told AFP that fireworks had been stored at the barracks and confirmed the cause of the blast remained under investigation.
- President Rodrigo Paz expressed his "deepest solidarity" with victims' families and pledged a "thorough, technical and transparent investigation" into what happened.
- Police said dozens of nearby homes were damaged, and Viacha's authorities declared three days of mourning for the roughly 30km-from-La-Paz community.
Why it matters: With 14 still missing and Nebraska's higher on-air estimate of 10-15 dead, the confirmed toll of two is almost certainly a floor rather than a final count. The blast, which damaged dozens of homes near the capital, turns on what military authorities were storing at an active artillery regiment — a question Paz's promised investigation will face squarely.
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