On Friday afternoon, a explosion occurred at a military camp in Viacha, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, resulting in at least two deaths and dozens of injuries.
According to reports from Reuters, Bolivian Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano stated in a statement that there are still 14 people missing.
The Bolivian government indicated that the explosion took place around 2:30 p.m. (18:30 GMT) in an area used for storing fireworks materials.
While the cause is still under investigation, local officials mentioned that the explosion originated from the fireworks reserve of the Defense Ministry.
Earlier, Rita Nebraska, the head of the Viacha Health Department, reported to a local television station that between 10 to 15 people were believed to have died in the explosion, with 62 others injured. Fourteen of the injured have been transported to hospitals in La Paz, including a young girl with severe burns.
Police stated that the explosion resulted in over 50 injuries, with several houses damaged and windows shattered.
Following the explosion, ambulances, medical teams, and police have been deployed to the military base to assess the damage and transport the injured to medical facilities.
Nebraska warned that there are still sources of heat at the scene, posing a risk of a secondary explosion. She urged residents to stay away from the site and maintain a distance of at least 150 meters.