Panama closed the Bridge of the Americas over the Panama Canal after a fuel truck explosion at the base of the bridge killed one person and sent two firefighters to hospitals while crews battled the flames, Panamanian authorities said. The closure was announced as firefighters investigated the accident and engineers assessed possible damage to the span that connects Panama City with the country’s west.
The explosion occurred about 4 p.m. Monday, authorities said, and security camera footage captured a fireball rising toward the top of the bridge. Several cars were on the bridge during the blast, but authorities said the drivers were not hurt by the flames.
Víctor Raúl Álvarez, director of Panama’s Fire Department, said in an interview that one fuel truck worker died in the explosion and that two firefighters were injured as they extinguished the fire. Álvarez also said there was “no confirmation of any other people injured,” adding that the investigation was in its early stages and that the cause of the explosion had not yet been determined.
Engineers warned that the fire could have harmed the integrity of the bridge, which has been in place for decades and is considered a key link for daily transportation between Panama City and western parts of the country. Officials said specialized teams were conducting evaluations of both concrete and metal components and that the bridge would remain closed until authorities could confirm its safety.
Panama’s Public Works Ministry posted a video on social media Tuesday showing engineers surveying the site for structural damage. The ministry’s efforts coincided with a warning from President José Raúl Mulino, who said in a post on X that closing the bridge would “cause disruption” and that the government hoped to “return to normal as soon as possible.”
In remarks cited in the report, Edwin Lewis, an engineer at the ministry, said the bridge’s age meant it could be vulnerable to heat damage. Lewis said, “The Bridge of the Americas is a structure that is over 60 years old. Due to the effects of the fire, if the metal structure was subjected to excessively high temperatures, it may have sustained damage,” and officials said the assessments would determine whether the span could safely reopen.