A commuter train derailed near Barcelona on Tuesday after colliding with a retaining wall that had collapsed under the heavy rains, resulting in the death of the train’s driver and injuring 37 others, according to emergency services. Four people had been seriously injured, reported Reuters.
The incident occurred near the town of Gelida, between the stations of Gelida and Sant Sadurní d’Anoia on the Rodalies rail network for commuter trains. The area was quickly flooded with emergency services personnel and ambulances as passengers were evacuated to nearby hospitals.
The derailment occurred barely 48 hours after a major train accident in Spain that left at least 42 people dead, with a high-speed train crash at Adamuz, a town in Córdoba province in southern Spain. In this accident, a train operated by Iryo, which was traveling from Malaga to Madrid, derailed and was subsequently hit by another train operated by Renfe, which was destined for Huelva.
Ever since the accident in Adamuz, the Spanish rail network administrator had been maintaining some lines closed for the time being, awaiting the end of the recovery work. The public page for incidents reported that the high-speed lines between Madrid and the principal cities in the Andalusian region had not yet been restored. It provided the telephone numbers for the family support services of Renfe and Iryo.
Investigators are now trying to determine the cause of the Adamuz accident and the reason for the failure of the wall near the town of Gelida. According to reports from Reuters, “technicians analyzing the accident site at Adamuz have been focusing on track elements, including a joint on one of the rails,” while Adif has imposed speed restrictions on certain areas of the Madrid-Barcelona high speed line while it investigates track conditions based on complaints from train drivers.
The Spanish rail network is facing more pressure to prove that the infrastructure, maintenance, and capacity to handle severe weather are meeting the requirements of the widely used system following two major accidents in two days.
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