News
L1 reopens after fire that left 39 passengers in hospital
Barcelona Metro’s L1 resumed normal services this Tuesday on the section affected by the catenary fire. Reopening brings relief to thousands of users after an afternoon of smoke, evacuations and major disruption on one of the city’s busiest lines.
Technical inspections carried out overnight made it possible to restore service between Glòries and Clot without further incidents. During the first hours of the day, trains ran at intervals of around five minutes.
The line once again connects Fondo with Hospital de Bellvitge, although the planned closure for summer works between Florida and Plaça de Sants remains in place. This interruption is unrelated to the fire and continues to be covered by the transport alternatives provided.
The fire began shortly before six in the evening in the overhead line equipment and forced the evacuation of more than one hundred passengers. Smoke spread quickly through the tunnel and caused the closure of Clot and the evacuation of Glòries.
The operation mobilised 22 Barcelona Fire Brigade units, officers from the Urban Guard and 19 ambulances. In total, 136 people received medical attention, mainly for smoke inhalation and breathing difficulties.
Thirty-nine passengers were transferred to hospitals and medical centres, although no serious injuries were recorded. Most were treated at the scene before leaving the area by their own means.
The incident disrupted journeys for several hours in Sant Martí, the Eixample and other points connected by the red line. Many travellers had to use buses, other metro lines or walk to complete their journeys.
The scene leaves L1 running again, but also a day that is difficult to forget for those trapped amid the smoke. With the section reopened, attention now returns to the summer works and the need for the line to maintain its reliability over the coming weeks.