Bocas del Toro Fire Update

Tragedy unfolds on Isla Colon as a fire rages through the south end of main street Calle 3a, engulfing multiple buildings in flames. The fire is believed to have started at 4:30am and people on the scene believe the original source to be the kitchen of the Red Snapper restaurant. Bocas TV mentioned in their live broadcast that everyone was able to evacuate and there have been no reported injuries so far. Unfortunately, we have received word that there may have been dogs or other pets that were unable to escape the flames.

Buildings affected by the fire are Om Cafe, Reggaeland, Red Snapper, Annie’s Place/Hostal del Mar, a boat repair shop (Rukel), Ocean Sky Bocas Hotel (formerly Azul Paradise) and Buena Vista. As of 9am fire trucks were working to extinguish the fire at the Ocean Sky Bocas Hotel, as to not keep spreading to the Buena Vista restaurant and other wooden structures nearby. The trucks were also still spraying Reggaeland and Om Cafe to control the fire on the south end.Newsroom Panama would like to take this opportunity to share known telephone numbers to call in the event of an emergency: