Train driver killed, dozens injured as commuter train derails near Barcelona

A Barcelona train derailment has killed a train driver and injured at least 37 people, five of them seriously, after a commuter train crashed near the city during severe weather in north-eastern Spain.

The accident happened on Tuesday evening shortly after 21:00 local time, between Gelida and Sant Sadurní, around 35km west of Barcelona, according to local officials. 

The Rodalies commuter train struck a retaining wall that collapsed onto the track as the train was passing.

Catalonia regional fire inspector Claudi Gallardo said all passengers had been removed from the train. Emergency teams worked for nearly an hour to free one trapped survivor at the scene.

Rail officials said the wall fell onto the track and struck the driver’s cab first before damaging the first carriage, where most of the injured passengers were travelling. Firefighters confirmed that two of the trainee drivers were among those seriously hurt.

The incident occurred as heavy storms affected large parts of Spain, with eastern and north-western coastal regions placed on weather alert. Local authorities believe the sudden rainfall contributed to the collapse of the retaining wall.

Several injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Moisès Broggi, Bellvitge, and Vilafranca, emergency services said.

READ ALSO: At least 21 dead, dozens injured as trains collide in Southern Spain

Train services across Catalonia’s Rodalies commuter rail network have been fully suspended while safety inspections are carried out. Officials said services will only resume once all lines are declared safe.

The Spanish train drivers’ union Semaf has called a strike following the crash near Barcelona and another fatal rail accident earlier this week in Andalusia.

“All members of Semaf are devastated and consider this situation of constant deterioration of the railway unacceptable,” the union said in a statement.

On Sunday, at least 42 people were killed when two high-speed trains collided near Córdoba, making it one of Spain’s deadliest rail accidents in over a decade.

Meanwhile, a second derailment occurred on the Barcelona commuter network on Tuesday. Spain’s rail operator Adif said the incident happened after storm conditions dislodged a rock.

“The axle was struck by a rock dislodged by the storm,” Adif said in a statement.

The train, travelling between Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes, was carrying about 10 passengers. No serious injuries were reported.

With the Rodalies network shut down, around 400,000 commuters across Catalonia are expected to be affected, according to Spanish newspaper El País.

(Sky News)