A commuter train crash in Spain has resulted in the death of the driver and injuries to 37 passengers, marking the second devastating rail accident in the country within days. The incident occurred Tuesday evening (January 20) near the town of Gelida, about 35 minutes from Barcelona, when the train collided with a fallen containment wall.
Spanish authorities report that five victims are seriously injured, while six others sustained minor injuries. Emergency responders arrived swiftly, dispatching 20 ambulances to transport the wounded to three local hospitals.
Preliminary investigations by Spain’s railway operator, ADIF, suggest the wall collapsed due to severe weather conditions currently sweeping the Catalonia region. As a safety precaution, train services on the affected line have been suspended.
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This tragedy follows closely on the heels of a horrific high-speed train collision that took place just days earlier on January 18. The previous accident involved a derailment and collision between two trains near Malaga and Madrid, resulting in numerous casualties. Work continues to recover additional victims from that catastrophic event.
Spain has entered a nationwide three-day mourning period as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed deep sorrow over the twin tragedies. “Tonight is one of deep sadness for our country,” he wrote on social media, offering sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those affected.
Among those lost in the recent large-scale crash were parents returning from the ‘Lion King’ musical in Madrid. Survivors include Fidel Saez’s family, who tragically lost his mother but are thankful his two children, brother, and nephew survived. Saez shared emotional accounts of his brother’s escape and the efforts to protect the children during the chaos, describing their survival as a miracle on national television.
These back-to-back train disasters have deeply shaken Spain, highlighting ongoing concerns about safety and infrastructure resilience amid challenging weather conditions.