Barcelona metro fire leaves 137 people with smoke inhalation

A fire on the Barcelona Metro left 137 people suffering from smoke inhalation, with 40 of them requiring hospitalisation, according to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.

The fire broke out on the evening of July 27 between the Clot and Glòries stations while a train carrying around 300 passengers was travelling through the tunnel.

The train operator spotted flames approximately 50 metres ahead, activated the emergency brakes, and alerted emergency services. Although standard procedures recommend waiting for firefighters, passengers reportedly opened the train doors and evacuated into the tunnel after thick smoke filled the carriages, making it difficult to breathe.

La Vanguardia reported that the most likely cause of the fire was a section of cladding that had become detached from the overhead contact line inside the tunnel.

The incident forced the near-complete suspension of services on the affected metro line. Operations are expected to resume on the morning of July 28.

By Sabina Mammadli