A train driver has been killed and at least 37 people injured, five of them seriously, after a commuter train derailed and crashed near Barcelona, marking Spain’s second deadly rail incident in just a few days.
Local officials said the Rodalies commuter train struck a retaining wall between Gelida and Sant Sadurní d’Anoia after the structure collapsed onto the track. The accident happened shortly after 21:00 local time on Tuesday as severe storms hit north-eastern Spain. The wall is believed to have hit the driver’s cab first before heavily damaging the first carriage, where most of the injured passengers were seated.
Catalonia’s regional fire service confirmed that all passengers were evacuated from the train. One survivor had to be freed after being trapped for almost an hour. Several injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Moisès Broggi, Bellvitge and Vilafranca.
The driver’s identity has not yet been confirmed. Officials said three trainee drivers were in the cab at the time of the crash, and two of them were among those seriously injured.
Rail services across Catalonia’s Rodalies network have been completely suspended while safety inspections are carried out. Authorities said trains would not resume until the lines are declared safe. Local officials believe the collapse of the wall was caused by heavy rainfall following months of drought, which may have weakened the ground.
Earlier on the same day, another train on the Barcelona commuter network derailed after a rock dislodged by the storm struck its axle. That train, travelling between Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes, was carrying around 10 passengers. No serious injuries were reported in that incident.
The latest crash comes just two days after a devastating high-speed rail collision near Adamuz in Andalusia, where at least 42 people were killed when two trains collided after carriages derailed onto an opposing track. Spain’s train drivers’ union, Semaf, has called a strike following the two deadly incidents, describing the state of the railway system as unacceptable.
With services suspended, an estimated 400,000 commuters across Catalonia are expected to be affected, according to Spanish media. Investigations are ongoing into both crashes as authorities seek to determine whether extreme weather and infrastructure failures played a decisive role.
