News
Accident in the C-5 tunnel disrupts Cercanías Madrid routine
A 39-year-old worker died early this morning in a tunnel on the C-5 line of Cercanías Madrid, between Laguna and Embajadores stations, while carrying out track maintenance work. The accident occurred at around 00:55, when 112 received an alert about an industrial accident in an area that was difficult to access.
According to Emergencias Comunidad de Madrid, the worker was struck in the chest by the bucket of a backhoe loader. On arrival, SUMMA 112 medical staff found the worker with severe chest trauma and in cardiorespiratory arrest. For around 40 minutes they tried to resuscitate him, but ultimately confirmed his death.
Firefighters from the Madrid City Council, required because of the tunnel conditions, and Municipal Police officers also took part in the operation; the latter have opened an investigation to clarify how the accident occurred. The worker belonged to an external contractor and was carrying out maintenance work on the railway infrastructure.
For now, no further details have emerged about the exact dynamics of the impact or the conditions under which the work was being carried out. The investigation will have to determine whether all safety protocols were followed and how the blow from heavy machinery could have occurred in an enclosed space.
The incident recalls a less visible part of mobility in Madrid: the work carried out in the early hours so that trains can run each morning. While most of the city sleeps, technical teams inspect tracks, tunnels, signalling and facilities in conditions that can be demanding and with little room for error.
The C-5 is one of the most important lines of Cercanías Madrid, connecting the metropolitan south and south-west with the centre of the capital. Its maintenance is key to thousands of daily journeys, but this accident leaves stark evidence: behind every improvement and every repair are workers who take real risks so that the city can keep functioning.