VIACHA — Two explosions at an army barracks in Bolivia killed at least two people and wounded 81 on Friday, authorities said.

Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said “pyrotechnic material” was stored at the base in Viacha, southwest of Bolivia’s administrative capital La Paz.

The exact cause of the blasts, which happened at around 2:30pm (1830 GMT), was under investigation, he said in a statement.

Footage circulated by local media showed a thick column of black smoke rising from the city center.

Houses in the area were damaged by the blasts, with footage showing shattered windows, broken ceilings and scattered debris.

Justiniano said two people were confirmed dead and seven people were missing.

The wounded, including two people in “serious condition,” were taken to medical centers, he added.

The dead and missing were soldiers serving at the base, the defense ministry said.

An earlier police report said 59 people were wounded, at least 52 of them civilians.

Firefighters rushed to the base following the blasts, and residents were evacuated to a temporary shelter.

The power supply was cut off in the area, where dozens of police officers had been deployed, an AFP journalist observed.