MP Barboni Calls for Investigation into Fires in the Old Town: ‘There’s Foul Play Here’

A recent surge of devastating fires in the historic Casco Antiguo (Old Town) of Panama has displaced hundreds of families and severely damaged ancient, multi-family tenements. As of early July 2026, multiple blazes have broken out, triggering official investigations by both the Panama Fire Department and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Because the fires are frequently destroying historic wooden structures in prime real estate zones, locals, residents, and advocacy groups are raising serious concerns about potential foul play.  Here are the key dimensions of the crisis and ongoing investigation:

1. The Incidents

Calle 12 Blazes: A massive fire broke out around the “Bajada del Ñopo” on Calle 12, displacing roughly 80 people and requiring the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning (Miviot) to relocate victims to the Beto Remón gymnasium.

• Rapid Recurrence: Just days after the Calle 12 tragedy, multiple consecutive fires were reported in the same general corridor of Casco Antiguo/Avenida B, severely hampering relief and recovery efforts.

• Building Types: The fires disproportionately target historical, multi-family tenements (caserones).

2. Suspicion of Foul Play

• Community Concerns: Local residents and observers have pointed to the suspicious frequency of the fires, noting that the rapid succession of blazes in a high-gentrification zone raises questions of suspected arson.

• Structural Vulnerability & Access: During the early morning blazes, firefighters encountered significant logistical challenges in navigating the historic streets due to parked cars on steep inclines, drawing criticism over urban planning and emergency response.

• Official Investigations: The Explosives Section of the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (IMELCF) is working in tandem with the fire safety investigators (DINASEPI) to determine the exact origins of the flames and rule out any deliberate criminal activity.

3. Immediate Action & Next Steps

• Humanitarian Aid: Displaced individuals have been temporarily housed in government gymnasiums while Miviot evaluates permanent housing solutions.

• Official Updates: Authorities are still collecting witness testimonies and combing through debris. You can monitor regional updates via the Newsroom Panama or the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos de la República de Panamá official channels for the results of the forensic investigations.

One of Panama City’s most popular tourist areas, the historic Casco Antiguo (Old Quarter), located in the San Felipe district, has been the scene of three fires in less than a week (four days). According to available information, the fires have left 120 people homeless, who are currently staying in government-provided accommodations while they await a permanent solution.  Amid this situation, José Pérez Barboni, a deputy from the Another Way Movement party, requested —during the National Assembly’s incident period— that the Public Ministry and the National Directorate of Fire Safety, Prevention and Investigation (Dinasepi) of the Panama Fire Department deepen the investigations into what happened.

Concerns that the Fires may be Deliberately Set

Devastating back-to-back fires have recently swept through Casco Antiguo (Casco Viejo), Panama City’s historic district, sparking major public outcry. The rapid succession of the blazes has fueled suspicions of foul play among locals and witnesses, who have openly voiced concerns that the fires may be deliberately set.

A timeline of the recent developments includes:

• Calle 12 Blaze (June 28, 2026): A raging inferno completely destroyed a historic multi-family mansion in the early morning hours. The incident affected 81 people, displacing families who had to be temporarily relocated to the José “Beto” Remón gymnasium in Calidonia.

• Terraplén/Avenida B Outbreak (July 1, 2026): Just days later, an even larger fire broke out in the Terraplén area near the Bajada de Ñopo, reducing historic tenements (locally known as caserones) to rubble. The rapid spread prompted the deployment of over 30 firefighter units.

• Ongoing Investigation: The Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos and local authorities have been working to determine the exact origin of the fires. The proximity, rapid ignition, and destruction of multiple historic and abandoned tenements simultaneously have left residents questioning the coincidental nature of the disasters.

Historically, this gentrifying tourist hotspot has grappled with the vulnerabilities of its historic Afro-Antillean and colonial architecture, which is notoriously susceptible to rapid fire spread. The neighborhood’s narrow cobblestone streets, illegally parked cars, and inconsistent water pressure often severely hamper the efforts of emergency responders.