What Happened
Panamanian authorities are investigating the explosion and fire that killed one person and injured two firefighters under the Bridge of the Americas, where three fuel tankers burned on April 6. Early technical findings point to a dangerous mix of flammable gases and a possible spark in an area packed with hydrocarbons.
The incident unfolded at the former fuel tank yard in Balboa, a site operated under concession by Panama Oil Terminals, S.A. The blaze forced a temporary closure of a vital route across the Panama Canal area and raised fresh concerns about the safety of fuel-handling operations near major infrastructure.
How the Investigation Is Advancing
The National Directorate of Fire Prevention, Safety and Investigation is leading the technical work, collecting evidence from the scene and interviewing people who were present when the fire started. Investigators have focused on identifying ignition points, mapping the spread of the flames and examining the condition of the vehicles and surrounding area.
Cirilo Castillo, director of the unit, said the evidence points to a spark in an atmosphere contaminated by gases from fuel transfer activities. He said the case remains open until the team can establish the exact cause with certainty.
Specialists also confirmed the presence of 91-octane gasoline, 95-octane gasoline, diesel and bunker fuel at the site, a combination that made the fire especially difficult to assess and control. The final report is expected within 30 days.
Victim, Agencies and Legal Action
The victim was not the tanker driver, as first believed, but an assistant. The fire also left two firefighters with first- and second-degree burns.
The scene remains under police custody while the Public Ministry continues its criminal investigation in coordination with the fire service. Prosecutors carried out an on-site inspection at POTSA’s facilities on April 8, including administrative offices where they sought operational records and background information related to the deceased worker.
The Metropolitan Homicide and Femicide Prosecutor’s Office has also asked the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences to conduct analyses linked to the explosion.
Bridge and Fuel Storage Under Review
The fire has also triggered a broader review of the old fuel storage area beneath and around the Bridge of the Americas. President José Raúl Mulino said the case will be handled by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and that administrative issues are being examined by the Panama Maritime Authority.
Maritime Authority administrator Luis Roquebert said the tanks near the bridge were built more than 50 years ago and no longer meet current standards. He said authorities are evaluating their future use.
Meanwhile, engineers from the Ministry of Public Works, the Panama Canal Authority, the Technological University of Panama and Sinaproc are carrying out additional assessments on the bridge itself. Edwin Lewis, director of design and studies at the ministry, said four specialists from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were received Thursday to help review the structure.
Laboratory tests and metal samples will be sent to the United States, and strain gauges will be installed in critical areas of the bridge to measure any deformation. The bridge currently carries only motorcycles, private vehicles and small buses while the technical reviews continue.
The fire has drawn attention to aging fuel infrastructure along the Panama Canal and nearby coastal zones, where officials say more than 100 hectares of old storage installations remain abandoned or in poor condition.