KABUL (Pajhwok): Nine people have died after an explosion at a military barracks in Bolivia’s Viacha municipality, about 30 kilometres from the capital La Paz, officials.
The explosion occurred at around 2:30pm (1830 GMT) on Friday in an area used to store pyrotechnic materials, authorities said on Monday.
Bolivia’s Defence Ministry said a ninth body was found in the rubble on Monday afternoon and transferred to the morgue for identification.
Army Commander Hector Alarcón said in a statement that a worse tragedy had been avoided because many personnel from the Bolivar Regiment were away participating in a recreational bicycle ride when the explosion occurred.
The statement did not say how many people remained missing.
“Our priority remains finding our comrades who are still missing and providing answers to their families as soon as possible,” Alarcón said at a press conference earlier on Monday.
Health Minister Marcela Flores said 84 people had been treated since the blast on Friday and that 31 remained hospitalised.
President Rodrigo Paz said the cause of the explosion was under investigation, but preliminary findings indicated that it appeared to have been an accident caused by the improper handling of explosives stored at the military facility.
“Our Armed Forces are reviewing their protocols and everything needed to provide greater safety, not only for enlisted personnel and officers, but also for nearby residents living close to military bases,” Paz said.
Paz also announced a period of national mourning and urged people not to politicise the tragedy.
The investigation into the cause of the explosion is continuing.
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