The incident took place under the Bridge of Americas in Panama on Monday, April 6
Credit: Handout / Panama Firefighting Department / AFP via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- An explosion involving a fuel tanker caused significant damage to a bridge that crosses the Panama Canal on Monday, April 6
- One person died and two firefighters suffered second-degree burns, according to a local media outlet
- The Bridge of the Americas was temporarily closed but reopened after inspections confirmed it was safe for smaller vehicles
One person has died and two others have been injured after a fuel tanker exploded under a bridge in Panama, according to reports.
On Monday, April 6, a fuel tanker truck exploded under the Bridge of the America causing a fire to break out in the La Boca area, according to U.K. outlet The Independent, Reuters and local outlet La Prensa.
In footage shared on social media, vehicles can be seen traveling along the bridge as smoke and flames from the explosion engulf the structure.
Two firefighters suffered second-degree burns, per La Prensa.
Credit: BIENVENIDO VELASCO/EPA/Shutterstock
The outlet reported that fuel treatment facilities and storage tanks are located where the explosion occurred.
The person who died is believed to have been working near the truck when the incident occurred, according to The Independent. They were reportedly an employee of the company Panama Oil Terminals, according to La Prensa.
Two tanker trucks with a capacity of holding between 5,000 to 10,000 gallons were also damaged in the incident, per the outlet.
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Colonel Ángel Delgado told La Prensa that the fire began in one truck before spreading to another.
“We have managed to contain the fire, make progress in extinguishing it, and reduce the temperature. These types of incidents must be tackled gradually to lower the heat,” Delgado said.
Over 50 fire department units responded to the incident to extinguish the flames, La Prensa reported.
The road bridge, which is around 5,400 feet long and spans the Panama Canal Pacific entrance, was temporarily closed following the incident, per The Independent.
On Tuesday, April 7, the National Police of Panama confirmed in a press release that the bridge had since been reopened.
Credit: Handout / Panama Firefighting Department / AFP via Getty
“The National Police informs the public that, following the corresponding inspections carried out by inter-institutional teams, the reopening of vehicular traffic on the Bridge of the Americas has been ordered,” the statement read, per a translation. “This decision was made after evaluating the condition of the structure, prioritizing at all times the safety of users and the continuity of traffic on this important national highway.”
"Drivers are urged to respect the signs and the instructions of police units deployed in the area," the statement continued, adding that "large buses" and "all types of articulated vehicles" were prohibited from using the bridge while more evaluations were carried out.
PEOPLE reached out to Ministry of Public Works, the Panama Canal Authority and the National Police of Panama for comment.
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