Two jailed following explosion that killed a baby

The Oral Trial Court of the First Judicial Circuit of Panama handed down sentences of 4 and 5 years in prison for two people found guilty of culpable homicide following an explosion in PH Costa Mare.

In addition, the Court canceled the operating license of the administration company and decreed accessory penalties for two of those sanctioned: one was disqualified from performing administrative work for 48 months, and the other was disqualified from carrying out maintenance work, also for a period of 48 months, once they have served the main sentence.

The Trial Judges reached their unanimous decision an 11-day hearing.

The criminal case began on May 31, 2019, when an explosion occurred in apartment number 2 of tower 7 of PH Costa Mare that caused damage to the five floors of the condominium and the building next door.

According to investigations, the explosion occurred due to a gas leak that caused a deflagration, as a result of, the administration of the complex opening the gas tap of the apartment in question, so that its owner could inhabit it a task that was carried out without keeping the security measures or protocols that should characterize the procedure, and the worker assigned to the task did not have the necessary qualifications.

This resulted in the death of a child under 10 months of age and 14 people were injured, two seriously, and the buildings were declared uninhabitable.