LA PAZ, Sept. 5 — Twin explosions at a military barracks in Viacha, a municipality about 30 kilometres west of La Paz, ripped through a facility storing pyrotechnic material and fireworks on Friday, triggering a massive rescue operation and yielding conflicting casualty figures amid the chaos.
The blasts sent thick plumes of black smoke over the city centre. The exact cause of the explosions was under investigation, though officials confirmed they originated from the defence ministry’s confiscated fireworks stockpile. Authorities urged residents to stay clear of the area amid warnings of possible further explosions and unexploded ordnance.
Divergent Casualty Toll Conflicting casualty figures have emerged as different agencies process the disaster through varying statistical lenses. Viacha’s health director, Rita Nebraska, told local television that preliminary municipal and hospital reports indicated between 10 and 15 people were killed and 62 injured. Health officials suggest this broader tally likely captures unregistered civilian bystanders caught in the blast radius.
In contrast, the Bolivian National Police and the Defence Ministry initially confirmed two military fatalities. The ministry reported 81 injured personnel, while police recorded 59 injuries, with both agencies confirming that seven individuals remain missing. Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano noted that a significant portion of the wounded were civilians, highlighting the difficulty of reconciling military and municipal registries in real-time.
Medical teams, ambulances, and police remain deployed to the complex. Authorities cautioned that the death toll remains highly fluid and is expected to rise as rescue workers continue to comb through the rubble and identify the missing.