Explosions at Bolivian military base in Viacha leave up to 10 dead and 81 injured
Two explosions at a military maintenance facility in Viacha, Bolivia, killed up to 10 people and injured 81 others on Friday, triggering evacuations and structural damage across nearby neighborhoods.
Explosions at Viacha military facility
Two successive explosions occurred inside the General Maintenance Center of the Mechanized Artillery Regiment 2 Bolívar in Viacha, located between 22 and 35 kilometers south of La Paz. The incident took place at approximately 14:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Friday, 4 September 2026. The initial blast involved black powder linked to pyrotechnic material stored at the facility, followed by a significantly stronger second blast that caused the bulk of the destruction. Bolivian Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano confirmed that no military weaponry detonated inside the compound, which is normally used for weapons maintenance, repair, and shooting exercises.
- Two explosions occur at the RAM-2 Bolívar military maintenance center in Viacha
- Emergency crews evacuate residents to temporary shelters and cut local power
- President Rodrigo Paz orders an official inquiry into storage safety protocols
- Police subcommander Roger Roca reports the site is contained as debris clearing continues
Toll of casualties and injuries
Official casualty reports evolved following the disaster. The Ministry of Defense initially confirmed 2 dead and 7 missing, all active military personnel stationed at the base. News agencies later updated the death toll to at least 10, while local health official Rita Nebraska told local television that fatalities could reach between 10 and 15. Total injured individuals climbed from an early tally of 52 to 59, and reached 81 in the updated ministerial count, with between two and eight individuals in grave or critical condition. According to José Martín Carrasco, director of the La Paz Departmental Health Service, the injured included civilians, military personnel, premilitary members, and police officers, among them six children who sustained non-severe lacerations to their legs and backs. The wounded were transported to medical centers across La Paz and El Alto.
- Preliminary health report
- 52 people
- Interim police report
- 59 people
- Defense Ministry balance
- 81 people
Property damage and evacuation measures
The blast wave shattered windows, blew doors off hinges, and caused structural damage across dozens of homes in Viacha. Heavy plumes of black smoke rose above the city, and debris was thrown across nearby residential areas. Authorities cut the municipal power grid across the surrounding sector as a safety precaution and evacuated local residents to a temporary shelter. Fire crews deployed water tankers to douse burning debris and cool persistent heat spots. Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano warned that evacuated residents should not return home immediately because of structural risks.
It is still not prudent for them to return because there are homes affected by the shock wave.
Investigations into storage protocols
Police deputy commander Colonel Roger Roca announced that emergency units had brought the site under control while search and recovery operations continued among the wreckage.
The incident is under control.
President Rodrigo Paz ordered an immediate technical and transparent inquiry to determine why pyrotechnic materials were stored at the facility and whether safety protocols were violated.
We must establish with absolute clarity the causes of this event, verify compliance with safety protocols, and determine the corresponding responsibilities.
The public prosecutor's office opened a formal criminal case and deployed specialized investigators to examine the remnants of the depot.
