What Happened
At 3:15 a.m. on May 5, 1914, a powerful explosion tore through El Polvorín, a masonry building on Avenida Nacional that stored explosives and ammunition on the outskirts of Panama City. The blast killed six firefighters and wounded ten others, turning an emergency response into one of the most tragic moments in the city’s history.
The fire alarm had first sounded at 2:55 a.m. at box 54 in San Miguel, and the Calidonia Fire Station was the first to respond because it was closest to the scene. By 3:10 a.m., firefighters had arrived and begun working the blaze. As crews connected hoses and officers gave orders, the fire spread to the roof. Moments later, the explosion erupted.
The destruction was immediate. The building disappeared in the blast, leaving only a deep crater and a cloud of dust where the structure had stood. The nearby bullring was also heavily damaged.
The Men Who Died
The firefighters killed were Alonso Teleche, Juan Bautista Beltrán, Félix Antonio Álvarez, Luis de Bazac, Luis Buitrago, and Faustino Rueda. Ten others were injured, including Commander Domingo Vásquez and Major Florencio Arosemena Icaza. The explosion also killed the caretaker of the adjacent bullring and his wife.
The men were responding to a fire in an area where much of the surrounding neighborhood was built of wood. Had the flames spread beyond the depot, the damage to Calidonia could have been far worse. Their effort prevented what could have become a much larger disaster in Panama City.
A Mystery Never Solved
The cause of the fire was never established with certainty. Three theories circulated: burning brush around the building, criminal sabotage, and spontaneous ignition of the gunpowder, a possibility that was quickly dismissed. More than a century later, the exact cause remains unknown.
The event was so severe that the mayor declared May 5, 1914 a day of national mourning. Two years later, President Belisario Porras inaugurated a marble obelisk on the site to honor the fallen firefighters.
From Tragedy to Plaza 5 de Mayo
The memorial was placed on a triangular vacant lot bordered by the railway station, Avenida Central, Puente de Calidonia, and La Calzada. That site became Plaza 5 de Mayo, now one of the busiest points in Panama City.
Today the plaza sits beside the metro station, the pedestrian stretch of Avenida Central, and the National Assembly. In 2006, it was declared a national historic monument under Law 33, and in 2017 the city restored it, replaced the marble on the first step, and improved accessibility.
For many people crossing the plaza each day, the obelisk is part of the cityscape rather than a monument to sacrifice. Yet the site remains a public reminder of the six firefighters whose names are tied forever to Panama City’s history.