The Minister of Public Works (MOP), José Luis Andrade, confirmed this evening that the order was given to close the Bridge of the Americas after a tanker truck fire recorded this Monday afternoon. According to the MOP minister, the structure will remain closed while a pathological inspection is carried out, with the aim of verifying if the fire caused damage that compromises the safety of the bridge. The results of this evaluation will be delivered on Tuesday afternoon. The inspection will begin at 8:00 a.m. this Tuesday, April 7. But what does a pathological inspection consist of? Engineer Edwin Lewis, of the MOP, explained that it is a deep technical review to determine the real impact of the fire on the structure, especially on a bridge over 60 years old. "The priority here is the safety of people, and the decision has been made to close the Bridge of the Americas to vehicle traffic precisely to be able to tomorrow, with daylight, to make a deeper assessment of the damage that the fire caused to the metal structure," he indicated. Lewis warned that if the metal structure was subjected to excessively high temperatures, it could have suffered damage that causes a partial or total failure in some elements of the affected span. He also noted that the concrete slab, the reinforcements placed about 10 years ago with carbon fabrics, as well as rivets and connections, could have been compromised. He detailed that the inspection includes first a general visual review to observe the degree of fire damage to the metal structure, in addition to temperature measurements and thermography. Subsequently, non-destructive tests on the concrete, extraction of samples, and on-site evaluations with specialized personnel and safety equipment, such as harnesses, to traverse areas of the bridge will be carried out. Lewis informed that specialists from the MOP and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), as well as the consulting firm hired by both entities, which is currently developing an evaluation of the bridge as part of future repairs, will participate in the process.
