In a tragic incident, a commuter train derailed near Barcelona, Spain, leaving one person dead and at least 37 others injured. This comes just a day after a deadly high-speed train collision in southern Spain that claimed 42 lives.
The accident occurred on Tuesday when the commuter train struck a retaining wall that had collapsed onto the tracks due to heavy rainfall. The incident took place in the town of Gelida, about 35 minutes outside of Barcelona. Emergency services rushed to the scene, with 20 ambulances dispatched to transport the injured to nearby hospitals.
Authorities reported that five of the passengers suffered serious injuries, while the majority of the wounded were travelling in the first carriage of the train. The driver of the train was killed in the crash.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences and solidarity with the victims and their families on social media. The Catalonia regional fire department inspector, Claudi Gallardo, stated that all passengers had been evacuated from the train.
This latest accident comes on the heels of a devastating high-speed train collision that occurred on Sunday near the town of Adamuz in southern Spain. That incident, which left 42 people dead and dozens more injured, was one of the worst railway accidents in Europe in 80 years.
While Spain’s high-speed rail network generally operates smoothly, the country’s commuter rail services have been plagued by reliability issues. However, accidents resulting in fatalities or serious injuries are not common occurrences.
The Central Airport and Public Transport Area, which is responsible for investigating railway accidents, has launched an initial investigation into the causes of the Gelida derailment. The rail operator, Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF), has attributed the collapse of the retaining wall to the heavy rainfall that has swept across the northeastern region of Spain this week.
A support centre has been set up at the Casablanca Urbanisation civic centre to assist the relatives of those affected by the accident. In a separate incident on Tuesday night, rail services between Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes, south of the city of Girona, were also disrupted due to a train axle coming off the tracks.
As the nation begins a three-day period of mourning following the devastating high-speed train collision, this latest tragedy has once again highlighted the need for a thorough review and improvement of Spain’s rail infrastructure and safety protocols.