Death and chaos on city roads

Tragedy, collisions and mechanical failure contributed to traffic jams inside and on the approach roads to Panama city yesterday. And none of it could be blamed on the new traffic lights.

The tragedy was on Avenida Balboa was when a taxi driver was killed and his wife injured by sheet metal falling from the Tower Rivage building under construction.

The accident led to the suspension of work on the site and the closure of one of the two major lanes on Balboa while Ministry of inspectors investigated. The taxi driven by Vallejos Edwin Lasso was crushed by a falling metal plate.

A crane cable hit a sheet of metal sendingit hurtling from the 40th floor of the 72 floor construction project.

His wife Luvedy Padilla was trapped for half an hour while rescue workers struggled to extract her from the wreckage. Shw was taken to the nearby San Tomas Hospital, and later to the CSS hospital.

The accident took place in front of Café Boulevard Balboa, which witnessed another death during the construction of the adjoining Destiny building when a worker fell to his death.

The Public Ministry authorities began inspections to establish responsibility for what happened. Preliminary reports reveal that the project was lacking adequate safety measures like screens and guardrails.

The national Director of Inspection, Abdiel Sagel, promised "energetic" and "redoubled building inspections" to prevent further tragedies.

Meanwhile the Transit Authority reported a rush hour mechanical breakdown of a bus on the Bridge of the Americas and asked drivers to use the Centennial Bridge .But on the east bound route there was a triple collision, and more traffic hold ups.

An afternoon collision in the area of Ojo de Agua, on Transístmica caused a jam stretching from the intersection of San Miguelito to Los Andes No. 2.

Another afternoon collision on Avenida Omar Torrijos slowed traffic area of Diablo to the Albrook vehicular bridge, said the Transit Authority.

Just another day on Panama’s roads.