President José Raúl Mulino confirmed that he is evaluating the possible relocation or demolition of the tanks located under the Bridge of the Americas, where an explosion last Monday halted traffic on the structure. "These are very old and abandoned infrastructures; perhaps they have no greater value or utility over time; this will be evaluated by the technical staff of the AMP (Panama Maritime Authority) and a decision will be made," he said in response to Panamá América. Mulino took the opportunity to reiterate to the population that the area is part of a criminal investigation; therefore, it is not open to the public. "These areas are very valuable because they have access to the sea, so the activities that are currently being developed will be evaluated responsibly," he added. They assured that the reopening of the road responds to technical studies carried out by various entities, including the Fire Department, the University of Panama, and the Technological University of Panama, so the public can be sure that the passage is safe. The entity will hold several discussion tables with the Ministry of the Environment to define the treatment that will be given to the area. "I ask the Police to, please, restrict access to all those who have absolutely nothing to do with this problem; from there we are not going to register anyone, no one enters who does not have to enter," he warned. The head of state explained that between the Pacific and the Atlantic there is a little more than 100 hectares of land with these tank farms that, if not necessary, could be used for the development of other operations. However, he pointed out that said lands could be used for "other purposes", without specifying the type of operations that would be carried out in the area. The director of the AMP, Luis Alberto Roquebert, indicated that the concession to the company where the incident occurred was already under investigation to ensure the proper maintenance of the tanks, which date from 1945. He clarified that a final decision has not yet been made, but it is something that is being analyzed and will depend on the results of the technical report from the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and engineers from the United States Army. In addition to technical inspections, the MOP will carry out laboratory tests on metallic parts of the bridge and will install strain gauges at various points to evaluate its current condition.
Panama President Considers Demolition of Old Tanks
Panama's President José Raúl Mulino announced plans to evaluate and possibly demolish old, abandoned tanks under the Bridge of the Americas. The decision will be based on a technical investigation following a recent explosion that led to the bridge's closure.
