Call for Fire routes in Casco Viejo

THE DESTRUCTION  of three historic buildings, in a fast-spreading fire in Casco Viejo on Wednesday, February 21  has renewed calls for the creation of a vehicle-free access route for emergency services.

Firefighters were hampered by illegally parked cars – one in front of a fire hydrant –  forcing first responders and residents to manhandle them away from the area. Low water pressure was an additional problem.

A fire route has been a  long-standing demand from residents whose pleas have been overlooked by successive governments.

The fire started around noon in the  Casa Boyacá built in 1890 and spread to the Casa Rosada andCasa Francia also built in the last decade of the nineteenth century.

The historian Rommel Escarriola said that the structures were on one side of the Baluarte Mano de Tigre and formed part of the wall that surrounded the city of Panama,

Katti Osorio the former Director of Historical Heritage of the National Institute of Culture (INAC) said that the  surrounding area  is part of the Monumental Complex of the Old Town, but Casa Boyacá Casa Francia  house are cataloged as “first order”, that is, they have the same value in terms of care and conservation that should be given to a  national historic monument. the name Boyacá was given in reference to the triangular shape of the building similar to the prow of a ship, specifically a Colombian gunboat from the time of the War of a Thousand Days.

Escarriola and Osorio agreed that the authorities have a duty to build an exact replica of the property.

Ángel Delgado, of the Fire Department, said that the causes of the fire are unknown, but a preliminary report should be ready Friday.

The Ministry of Housing and Land Planning said that 40 families made homeless will be given temporary accommodation until they can be permanently resettled in the area.

The Joint Task Force reported that there were no fatalities but several people were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Neighborhood pleas
Patrizia Pinzón, of the Casco Neighborhood Friends Association, said that for several years they have insisted to the different governments that a “well made and well maintained” evacuation route is urgently needed so that the main streets are free of vehicles. Pinzón said it is “unusual” that the authorities have not addressed the issue.

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