Tragedy struck in Catalonia, Spain, when a commuter train derailed and crashed near Barcelona, killing the driver on board. The incident occurred just two days after another deadly train collision in southern Spain, which left at least 42 people dead.
According to local officials, the Rodalies train collided with a retaining wall that had fallen onto the track between Gelida and Sant Sadurní shortly after 21:00 on Tuesday evening. The impact caused significant damage to the first carriage of the train, where most of the injured passengers were traveling.
Rescue efforts were hampered by heavy storms battering the region, which led to warnings of flooding in coastal areas across northeastern Spain. Firefighters said it took almost an hour to free one of the survivors at the scene in Gelida, about 35km west of Barcelona.
At least 37 people were injured, with five seriously hurt in the accident. Emergency services evacuated some of the injured to nearby hospitals, including Moisès Broggi, Bellvitge, and Vilafranca.
The incident has sparked outrage among rail officials, who have called for urgent action to address safety concerns on Spain's rail network. The Spanish train drivers' union Semaf has announced a strike in response to the two deadly crashes, citing a deteriorating situation on the railway.
Heavy rain is believed to be to blame for the collapse of the retaining wall that caused the accident. Another train on the Barcelona commuter network also derailed on Tuesday, causing disruption to services across the entire Rodalies network in Catalonia. This has left around 400,000 commuters affected, according to Spanish newspaper El País.
The accident has raised questions about safety standards and the need for urgent reform on Spain's rail network.
According to local officials, the Rodalies train collided with a retaining wall that had fallen onto the track between Gelida and Sant Sadurní shortly after 21:00 on Tuesday evening. The impact caused significant damage to the first carriage of the train, where most of the injured passengers were traveling.
Rescue efforts were hampered by heavy storms battering the region, which led to warnings of flooding in coastal areas across northeastern Spain. Firefighters said it took almost an hour to free one of the survivors at the scene in Gelida, about 35km west of Barcelona.
At least 37 people were injured, with five seriously hurt in the accident. Emergency services evacuated some of the injured to nearby hospitals, including Moisès Broggi, Bellvitge, and Vilafranca.
The incident has sparked outrage among rail officials, who have called for urgent action to address safety concerns on Spain's rail network. The Spanish train drivers' union Semaf has announced a strike in response to the two deadly crashes, citing a deteriorating situation on the railway.
Heavy rain is believed to be to blame for the collapse of the retaining wall that caused the accident. Another train on the Barcelona commuter network also derailed on Tuesday, causing disruption to services across the entire Rodalies network in Catalonia. This has left around 400,000 commuters affected, according to Spanish newspaper El País.
The accident has raised questions about safety standards and the need for urgent reform on Spain's rail network.
! Just thinking about commuters having their day ruined by a train crash is really scary 
. I was reading about the trains in school yesterday and how they're always under maintenance to ensure safety, but accidents still happen 
. It's like, what can we do to prevent these kinds of disasters? The fact that it was a retaining wall that collapsed is pretty worrying too 
. And 400,000 people affected by train disruptions? That's crazy! I guess the rail officials have to step up their game and make some changes ASAP 
.
I feel so bad for all the families who lost loved ones or got hurt. The fact that rescue efforts were slowed down by those crazy storms is just awful 
. And 400k commuters affected? That's insane 
. We can't just sit back and wait for tragedies like this to happen. Someone needs to step up and make some changes! 
Just heard about that terrible train crash in Catalonia... feels like a nightmare waiting to happen 
. So many people affected by this, I hope everyone who got hurt gets the best care possible 
. Safety concerns are major issues now, and it's clear we need change on Spain's rail network ASAP 
. Two accidents just two days apart? We can't keep playing with fire here... 400k commuters disrupted too... that's a big number 
. Hope leaders can get together to address this properly 
.
and it's not just the number of people that die, but also the trauma they go through 
. 400k commuters affected is crazy! 
it's just not good enough 
. the union calling for action is a good start, but more needs to be done 
. It's not just about one train or one accident, it's about protecting the people who rely on them every day 
.
. We also need to talk about why safety standards haven't been met yet 
. It's time for change, Spain 
.
. those injured passengers deserved so much better than getting stuck on that train for an hour waiting for help 
I mean, think about it, these trains are basically just metal tubes on wheels with a bunch of human beings stuffed in them. Like, what's the most exciting thing about being on a train? 
... anyway, back to trains...
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. I was saying this in my last comment about how Spain needs to prioritize its rail network safety and I'm afraid it's still relevant 
. We gotta make sure these trains are safe for everyone, not just a select few. Heavy rain can't be an excuse, there's got to be better measures in place 
. Can't we just get it together and sort this out already? 
Just heard the news about that train crash in Catalonia 
️... how can we even prevent such disasters? The commuters affected, too, must be going crazy with 400k people stuck without trains 
anyway, gotta say, rail network in spain needs major overhaul ASAP 
heavy rain should've been a warning sign for the rail network. I mean, we know Spain has its beautiful weather, but come on! 
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. the fact that heavy rain caused the retaining wall to collapse is just crazy 
. i hope the spanish government can help fix these issues ASAP 
.