GELIDA, SPAIN — A commuter train derailment near Barcelona has claimed the life of a train driver and injured at least 37 people, marking the second fatal rail disaster to strike Spain in less than 48 hours.

The accident occurred late Tuesday evening in the municipality of Gelida, approximately 40 minutes west of Barcelona. The derailment involves a commuter service on the busy R4 Rodalies line, which connects several key municipalities in the country’s northeast.

Retaining Wall Collapse Causes Crash

The incident took place around 10:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. ET) as the train traveled between Gelida and Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. According to the Civil Protection of the Generalitat de Catalonia, the derailment was triggered when a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks following days of torrential rain.

Authorities report that the debris from the wall struck the passing train, causing the lead carriage to leave the tracks.

“The train collided with a retaining wall that had fallen on the track,” confirmed a spokesperson for the regional government. Heavy storms have battered Catalonia this week, leading to red alerts in several areas and likely compromising the infrastructure’s stability.

Emergency Response and Casualties

The crash site quickly became a scene of frantic rescue efforts. The Medical Emergency System (SEM) dispatched 20 ambulances, while the regional fire department deployed 38 units to the scene.

Firefighters established a security perimeter to shore up the unstable retaining wall and the derailed train. This allowed them to safely evacuate passengers from the “hot zone” to receiving medical teams.

Claudi Gallardo, an inspector with the Catalonia regional fire department, stated that emergency crews had to extricate one person trapped inside the wreckage.

• Fatalities: The train driver died at the scene after receiving initial assistance from first responders.
• Injuries: 37 passengers were injured. Four people remain in serious condition, while others sustained injuries of varying severity.

All survivors have since been evacuated from the train.

Spain Reels from Twin Rail Tragedies

This derailment comes at a moment of national mourning. Just two days prior, a catastrophic high-speed rail collision occurred near Adamuz in the southern province of Córdoba. That accident resulted in 41 deaths and dozens of injuries when two trains collided, shocking a nation renowned for its safe and modern railway network.

The succession of accidents has placed intense scrutiny on Spain’s rail infrastructure. Nuria Parlón, the Minister of Interior and Security, and Silvia Paneque, the Minister of Territory, immediately traveled to Gelida to oversee the response and launch an investigation into the wall’s collapse.

Commuter services on the R4 line remain suspended as crews work to clear the debris and repair the damaged track.