Some 38 families were completely affected and nearly 150 people were evacuated. preventively after a fire occurred on the afternoon of this Friday, September 25, in the two-level wooden building known as The Macarronera, located in the Calidonia townshipwhich destroyed the entire structure without leaving any injuries or fatalities.
The lieutenant colonel of the Fire Department, Yabeth Pérez, confirmed that the building housed about 32 apartments with 90% wood in its architecture, a factor that accelerated the spread of the flames while waiting for the National Directorate of Fire Safety, Prevention and Investigation to conclude the cooling work to determine the causes of the incident.
Responding to the emergency required the immediate deployment of about eight Firefighters vehicles supported by tanker trucks from the Institute of National Aqueducts and Sewers and of the Panama Canal Authority.
The authorities had to coordinate the clearing of the access roads and carry out relief maneuvers towards adjacent hydrants due to the low water pressure in the sector.
Given the loss of residents’ homes, the representative of the Calidonia district, Yatzumaly Worrellissued a statement on social networks to request the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning and to the National Government the immediate delivery of definitive housing solutions.
Worrell emphasized that the community board had repeatedly warned the Provincial Council about the structural risks of these old barracks and emphasizing the urgency of preventing temporary assistance from being prolonged for years through hotel accommodation.
For now, investigations continue into what could be the causes of this fire.
