At least one person died and two others were injured in a fire this Monday involving several fuel trucks in the lower structures of the Bridge of the Americas, the oldest bridge crossing the Panama Canal on the Pacific side, leading to its closure. According to preliminary reports, the fire in at least two tank trucks triggered an emergency situation due to the proximity of several fuel depots. The blaze, which was brought under control by units of the Honorable Fire Corps of the Republic of Panama (BCBRP), resulted in one death and two firefighters with minor burns. "At this moment, we have been informed that one person was trapped between the two tankers and died," stated BCBRP General Director Colonel Víctor Raúl Álvarez at a press conference, detailing that over 75 people worked on extinguishing the fire. "The fire is 100% extinguished and we are now in the process of cooling down so that investigators can enter tomorrow to determine the causes and possible origin of the fire," he emphasized. Panama's Minister of Public Works, José Luis Andrade, detailed that following the incident, "it is normal that the metal structure of the bridge will need to be inspected," so traffic will remain closed until the condition and safety of the infrastructure are confirmed. Connectivity via the bridge, inaugurated in 1962, between the province of Panama and the adjacent Panama Oeste was interrupted as a result of the incident, so transit authorities redirected traffic to the alternate Centennial Bridge, which also crosses the Panama Canal. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino stated on X that given the situation on the bridge, "tomorrow will be a complex day and the attendance at their workplaces for thousands of Panama Oeste citizens will be irregular," and requested that public entities and the private sector "show the necessary considerations." "We hope to regain normality as soon as possible," he concluded.
