At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured on Friday (September 4, 2026) after an explosion at a military barracks in the Bolivian municipality of Viacha, about 30 km (19 miles) from La Paz, local authorities said.
Ambulances, medical teams and police were deployed to the military complex to assess the damage and evacuate the wounded to health centers. The blast occurred at around 2.30 p.m. (1830 GMT) local time in an area used to store pyrotechnic material, authorities said. Viacha health director Rita Nebraska told local television that between 10 and 15 people were believed to have died in the incident, while 62 people were injured. Police said more than 50 people were injured and dozens of homes damaged, largely by windows shattered in the blast. Nebraska said firefighters had warned that a heat source remained at the site, raising the risk of another explosion, and urged residents to stay at least 150 meters away.
officials said the blast originated from the defense ministry’s fireworks stockpile While the cause has yet to be established. Fourteen of the wounded were transferred to hospitals in La Paz, including a girl with third-degree burns, she said.
