A huge fire broke out at the main bridge over the Panama Canal, late in the afternoon, Monday, 7th April. That was around 4 pm Panama time.
The Panama Canal is an 82-kilometer waterway in Central America that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
The fire that emanated from an oil tanker took 75 fire-fighting units to contain before it could cause extensive damage to the 5,400-foot-long bridge. Apparently, the tanker caught fire while fueling under the bridge around the La Boca area.
Is the Bridge Still Open?
One section of the bridge caught fire, and unfortunately, there was one fatality. That fatality was confirmed by Panama’s fire department, which indicated that the person had been working close to the truck.
According to Victor Alvarez, who is Panama’s chief firefighter, two firefighters also sustained injuries. He said it was still premature to determine the cause of the fire.
The Panama Canal Authority has closed the bridge until further notice to facilitate investigations and inspection. The public works department must certify the safety of the bridge before it can be reopened for use.