Explosion at Bolivia Military Base Kills at Least 10, Leaves 62 Injured

LA PAZ: At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured on ​Friday after an explosion at a military ‌barracks in the Bolivian municipality of Viacha, about 30 km (19 miles) from La Paz, local authorities said.

The blast occurred ​at around 2:30 p.m. (1830 GMT) local time ​in an area used to store pyrotechnic material, ⁠authorities said.

While the cause has yet to ​be established, officials said the blast originated from the ​defense ministry's fireworks stockpile.

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. Fourteen of the wounded were transferred to hospitals ‌in ⁠La Paz, including a girl with third-degree burns, she said.

Police said more than 50 people were injured and dozens of homes damaged, largely by ​windows shattered in ​the blast.

Ambulances, ⁠medical teams and police were deployed to the military complex to assess ​the damage and evacuate the wounded to ​health ⁠centers.

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.

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