At least 10 killed in explosion at Bolivia military base; over 60 injured

More than 50 are said to be injured in Bolivia blast (Screengrab from video on social media)

At least 10 people were killed and more than 60 injured on Friday after an explosion struck a military base in Bolivia, local health director Rita Nebraska told television station Noticias Bolivision.The explosion took place at about 2.30 pm local time at a military complex in Viacha, around 30 km (19 miles) from La Paz. The blast hit an area where pyrotechnic material was being stored, authorities said.Officials have yet to determine what triggered the explosion, but said it came from a stockpile of fireworks held by the country’s defence ministry, reported Reuters.Nebraska said the death toll could be as high as 15, with 62 people reported injured. Fourteen injured people were taken to hospitals in La Paz, including a girl who suffered third-degree burns.Police said more than 50 people were injured and that the explosion caused damage to dozens of homes in the surrounding area. Most of the reported damage was caused by windows being shattered by the force of the blast.Emergency services rushed to the military complex, with ambulances, medical teams and police personnel deployed to assess the scene and transport the wounded to medical facilities.Authorities also warned residents to keep away from the site. Nebraska said firefighters had detected a remaining heat source at the complex, raising concerns that it could trigger another explosion. She advised people to maintain a distance of at least 150 metres from the area.