Train derails in Catalonia after retaining wall collapses during heavy rainfall, injuring multiple people.
Accident Details
The accident occurred on the R4 line between Gelida and Sant Sadurní in Barcelona province, where a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks just before an approaching train. According to RTVE journalists, long-term heavy rainfall likely destabilized the structure.
Initially, 15 people were reported injured, but the number increased as rescue operations progressed. RTVE later confirmed that five people were seriously injured, six had moderate injuries, and 26 had minor injuries.
Emergency Response
Approximately 70 firefighters and 35 medical rescue teams were dispatched to the scene. The injured were evacuated to nearby hospitals as security operations continued.
According to police sources, a safety zone was established around the accident site. Rescue workers worked to temporarily reinforce the damaged retaining wall to prevent further landslides in difficult nighttime conditions.
Transport Disruption
Traffic on the R4 line was completely suspended, with passengers advised to use alternative transportation. The suburban railway operator Rodalies de Catalunya activated crisis procedures.
State railway infrastructure manager Adif announced preventive suspensions of train traffic in several critical sections due to weather conditions and their impact on infrastructure.
Government Response
Catalan government representative Albert Dalmau Miranda stated that all necessary resources were being mobilized to help the injured and assess infrastructure damage.
An emergency alert remains in effect in Catalonia due to heavy rainfall and flood risk.
Related Incidents
This was not the only railway incident in the region that day. Another train derailed between Maçanet-Massanes and Tordera due to stones on the tracks, but no one was injured in that incident.
The accident near Barcelona occurred just two days after another tragedy in Spain, where at least 42 people died in a disaster in Adamuz, sparking a national debate on infrastructure safety.