What Happened
The fire that engulfed three tanker trucks near the Bridge of the Americas on April 6 has intensified scrutiny of both the bridge’s safety conditions and the location of fuel storage and transfer operations nearby. The Ministry of Public Works authorized a partial reopening of the crossing with restrictions on heavy vehicles while technical evaluations continue.
The blaze created a large fireball that reached one of the bridge’s columns and the roadway surface. Preliminary checks by the ministry found no severe structural damage in the trusses, although additional tests are expected as part of the assessment.
On Thursday, April 9, U.S. Army engineers are scheduled to arrive in Panama to assist voluntarily with the structural inspection. The team includes two structural engineers and two support specialists, and their technical report will be delivered to the ministry on Monday, April 13.
Questions About the Evaluation
Former Public Works Minister José Antonio Domínguez called the official assessment superficial and argued that broader questions remain about the condition of the bridge’s columns and who should be held responsible for the incident. He said the images suggest the flames stayed below the steel structures and were pushed by the wind, which would reduce the likelihood of serious heat damage to the metal.
Domínguez also pointed to soot, rather than burned paint, as a sign that the steel may not have reached critical temperatures. He added that concrete elements, located farther from the fire, also deserve careful review. In his view, restricting heavy vehicles without a clear technical explanation creates uncertainty around how the crossing should be managed.
He also recalled long-standing warnings about the bridge’s infrastructure, saying studies dating back decades had already identified the need to replace components such as the slabs.
Fuel Storage and Local Concerns
Attention has also turned to fuel tanks near La Boca, in Ancón, which are under concession to Panama Oil Terminals, S.A. The site once formed part of the Balboa and Cristóbal fuel tank yards operated by Atlántico Pacífico, S.A., and parts of the area are now reportedly subleased to Environmental Solutions Development, Inc., a company involved in waste management and fumigation services.
Residents in nearby Tabernilla have complained for months about strong fuel odors, while Domínguez said the tanks, installed after the bridge was built in 1962, show visible signs of deterioration, including corrosion. He warned that the concessionaire remains responsible for compliance with state rules regardless of any subleases.
Structural engineer Rogelio Dumanoir, a member of the Panamanian Society of Engineers and Architects, said the ministry was right to inspect the bridge but stressed that the deeper concern is how fuel operations were being carried out close to the bridge pillar. He argued that the incident could have been far more serious and urged stronger enforcement of safety regulations.
Possible Cause and Broader Impact
Hydrocarbons specialist Harry Quinn focused on the operations inside the POTSA concession area, where storage tanks built in 1927 remain in use. He said the site now handles bunker fuel and diesel, and that other companies on the property process lubricants and recycled oil.
Quinn said the risk may have come during the handling of residual products, which can contain contaminants and require solvent cleaning and flashpoint testing. He suggested that multiple explosions could indicate the presence of more volatile material than expected in the fuel mixture.
The incident has renewed pressure on authorities to determine how the fire started, assess the bridge thoroughly, and review safety controls around one of Panama’s most important transport links. It has also revived long-running concern over fuel handling in the area and the need for clearer enforcement of industrial safety standards.