A strong explosion shook the main hospital of the country, Santo Tomás Hospital, on Tuesday after an explosion in the boiler room caused significant damage to its infrastructure and triggered emergency alerts. The blast was heard in various parts of the hospital, causing moments of tension among staff, patients, and visitors as safety protocols were activated to prevent a major tragedy. Units from the Meritorious Fire Corps of the Republic of Panama (BCBRP) immediately responded to the scene. Captain Luis Joseph explained that after entering the affected area, operational personnel conducted an urgent assessment, confirming visible impacts on the boiler's structure. "The area was secured and access was restricted as a preventive measure to avoid additional risks and protect the integrity of hospital staff and third parties," Joseph detailed. The magnitude of the incident required the intervention of a specialized investigation team, which will now have to determine what caused the explosion and whether there are structural or maintenance failures that compromise the safety of the hospital. Although the event caused momentary panic, authorities confirmed that there were no reports of injuries, a fact that prevented the episode from escalating from an alarm to a tragedy.
