The collapse of the old Sixaola (Limon) railroad bridge on Monday afternoon forced the closure of the modular bridge connecting Panama and Costa Rica, for several hours, confirmed the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) – Ministry of Transport.

Giselle Alfaro, MOPT deputy minister of infrastructure, said the closure of the Bailey bridge connecting the two countries was to allow for a comprehensive assessment of the modular bridge.

Alfaro added that the visual inspection did not reveal any damage or that the Bailey structure was affected.

The deputy minister said that due to the closeness of the two structures it was considered urgent to discard any possible affectation of the modular structure, to ensure the tranquility and security of users.

The old structure is expected to be removed, as part of the plans to erect a new binational bridge on the site.