Zaragoza train fire still delaying Madrid-Barcelona AVE on Tuesday
A Monday fire in an AVE locomotive near Ricla, Zaragoza, affected 33 trains and nearly 13,000 passengers, and still caused delays on Tuesday, Renfe said.
Update ·
Renfe says 33 trains and 12,979 passengers were affected Monday, and delays continue into Tuesday.
A fire in the locomotive of a high-speed AVE train near Ricla, in Zaragoza province, was still delaying the Madrid-Barcelona line on Tuesday, a day after it forced the evacuation of all 283 passengers on board, Spanish rail operator Renfe said.
The train had left Madrid's Puerta de Atocha station on Monday afternoon, bound for Figueres, in Girona. The fire broke out in the rear locomotive cabin, and the high-speed line was cut in both directions for several hours, Renfe said.
The closure affected a total of 33 trains, Renfe deputy director general Sergio Bueno said: 18 could not leave their station of origin and 14 were halted at stations along the route. In all, 12,979 passengers were affected, Renfe said; rival operator iryo reported a further 11 of its trains and 4,450 passengers affected that day.
Services began to be gradually restored on Monday evening after the fire was put out, infrastructure manager Adif said. On Tuesday morning, trains between Ricla and Plasencia de Jalon were still running on a single track with a temporary speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour, Renfe said, as crews worked to remove the damaged train and repair the line.
The restrictions have reduced the line's capacity, causing some delays of more than an hour on Tuesday, Renfe said. The operator has reorganised services, coupling some trains together and adjusting departure times. Some high-speed connections to Navarre and La Rioja were cancelled, including services between Logrono and Madrid, with passengers redirected onto regional trains.
No one was injured by the fire itself, though a woman suffering dizziness and a person with reduced mobility needed medical assistance on Monday, regional authorities said. Renfe said it still did not know what had caused the fire and had opened an investigation.
Renfe has offered free ticket changes and refunds to passengers affected by the disruption.
What we know
- Official · Renfe A fire in an AVE locomotive near Ricla, Zaragoza, forced the evacuation of 283 passengers on Monday and cut the Madrid-Barcelona line for several hours, Renfe said.
- Official · Renfe The closure affected 33 trains in total: 18 could not leave their station of origin and 14 were halted en route; 12,979 passengers were affected, Renfe said.
- 2+ outlets · EFE, La Razón Services began to reopen on Monday evening, but on Tuesday trains between Ricla and Plasencia de Jalon were still running on a single track at a reduced speed, causing delays of more than an hour.
- Official · Renfe No one was injured by the fire; the cause is still under investigation, Renfe said.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed What caused the locomotive fire.
- Unconfirmed When the line will return to full speed and double-track running.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The Madrid-Barcelona line is one of Spain's busiest rail corridors, and the continuing single-track restriction on Tuesday shows how a single locomotive fire can disrupt travel well beyond the day it happens. Renfe said the incident affected nearly 13,000 passengers in all, most of them delayed rather than evacuated from the burning train itself.
Updates
·
Renfe says 33 trains and 12,979 passengers were affected Monday, and delays continue into Tuesday.
First published.
Sources
Reported by 11 reports from 9 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- EFE: El incendio en la locomotora de un AVE en Ricla (Zaragoza) corta la línea Zaragoza-Madrid
- Diari d'Andorra: Un incendi en un tren espanyol AVE obliga a evacuar 380 passatgers a Saragossa
- La Razón: La alta velocidad vuelve a arder bajo el mandato de Óscar Puente
- El Mundo: Retrasos y alteraciones en el AVE Madrid-Barcelona por el incendio de un tren en Zaragoza que ha perjudicado a casi 13.000 viajeros: "Hubiera tardado menos en coche"
- La Razón: Ferrera y Román, explosión en Madrid a hombros con la intensidad (y exigencia) de Adolfo
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- How many passengers were affected by the Zaragoza train fire?
- Renfe said 33 trains and 12,979 passengers were affected on Monday, with delays continuing into Tuesday.
- Was anyone hurt?
- No one was injured by the fire itself, though a woman suffering dizziness and a person with reduced mobility received medical attention, regional authorities said.
- Is the line back to normal?
- Not fully. On Tuesday morning trains were still running on a single track at a reduced speed between Ricla and Plasencia de Jalon, Renfe said.
This article was written with AI assistance from 12 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.