At least five fire stations across Panama require complete reconstruction following the October 9 earthquake, according to the deputy director of the national fire service. The firefighter station collapse damage has left emergency responders operating without permanent infrastructure in several provinces, even as crews continue answering calls in affected areas.
Gonzalo Chan Gil confirmed the scope of destruction during a briefing on October 15, identifying the hardest-hit facilities. The stations in Soná, Macaracas, Los Santos, Penonomé, and Santiago all must be demolished and rebuilt from the ground up, he said.
El sismo golpeó nuestras estaciones en Veraguas, pero no quebró nuestro espíritu. No hay víctimas fatales y seguimos en las carpas, sirviendo a Panamá. ¡Nos levantaremos! #BCBRP https://t.co/E4OveIjilT
— Bomberos De Panamá (@BCBRP) October 15, 2026
Extent of the Firefighter Station Collapse Damage
The Soná station suffered the most severe structural failure, with officials describing it as completely collapsed. The remaining four stations sustained damage extensive enough that repairs are not viable, forcing the fire service to plan full replacements.
“The Soná station is totally collapsed, we have to build a new one, and the stations in Macaracas, Los Santos, Penonomé and Santiago, all of those need to be rebuilt,” Chan Gil said [Translated from Spanish]
Assessment teams remain active in other regions, evaluating additional facilities to determine whether more stations require intervention. The priority, officials said, is ensuring no compromised building poses a risk to personnel or the public.
Quake Emergency Operations Continue Despite Infrastructure Loss
Firefighters have maintained service throughout the earthquake-affected zones despite lacking full operational infrastructure. Crews continue responding to emergencies and addressing community needs, working from temporary arrangements where necessary.
The institution operates with roughly 800 permanent personnel, though that figure expands to approximately 4,500 when including specialized divisions and volunteer firefighters. This broader force has helped sustain response capacity during the infrastructure crisis.
Reconstruction Challenges and Next Steps
Rebuilding five stations simultaneously represents a significant institutional challenge for the fire service. The agency must coordinate construction while managing ongoing earthquake recovery operations and routine emergency calls across the affected provinces.
Officials have not released cost estimates or timelines for the reconstruction effort. Evaluations of remaining facilities continue, with additional announcements expected as inspectors complete structural assessments throughout the impacted region.