Barcelona activates Procicat pre-alert after a fire in a lorry at the port

A dense column of black smoke surprised residents and visitors in Barcelona this Sunday. The fire started in a lorry carrying containers at Moll del Ponent. Ten Bombers units attended quickly. No injuries have been reported. The incident activated the pre-alert for the Procicat plan.

At midday today, a huge column of black smoke disrupted the routine of people walking or working near the port of Barcelona. The fire, visible from numerous neighbourhoods and nearby municipalities such as L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, caused concern and forced changes to routes and activities in the port area.

The origin of the fire was located in a lorry loaded with containers, parked in the Pont d'Europa area at Moll del Ponent while awaiting shipment. Although it was initially feared that the flames would affect an industrial building, the rapid intervention by Bombers de Barcelona prevented the incident from spreading beyond the initial area.

Up to ten fire-service units went to the site, equipped with tankers, fire engines, an ambulance, an aerial ladder and support and command vehicles. The response made it possible to control the fire without injuries, although some port tractors and part of the cargo, which was not dangerous, were affected.

The 112 emergency telephone received more than seventy calls from citizens alarmed by the scale of the smoke. As a preventive measure, Protecció Civil activated the pre-alert for the Procicat plan, reinforcing coordination between emergency services and port authorities.

Moll del Ponent is one of the key areas for freight traffic in Barcelona. Its activity connects the city with international routes, and it is common to see lorries and heavy machinery in motion. Incidents such as today’s test the response capacity of emergency services and the importance of safety protocols in infrastructure critical to the local economy.

Barcelona port fire confirmed (29 Mar 2026, 13:17): container tractor lorry (Grimaldi Group terminal, Pont Europa/Moll Ponent); 10 Bombers units (3 tankers/3 fire engines/ambulance/aerial ladder/2 support/2 command); 76 calls to 112; no injuries; non-dangerous cargo; port tractors affected. Procicat pre-alert activated. Smoke visible in Barcelona/L'Hospitalet/El Prat.