Second fatal rail crash in Spain kills driver

A train driver was killed and at least 37 passengers were injured when a Rodalies commuter train derailed near Barcelona on Tuesday evening after colliding with debris from a retaining wall that collapsed onto the tracks, according to Spanish emergency officials.

The accident occurred on the line between Gelida and Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, where heavy rainfall battered northeastern Spain, contributing to infrastructure failure, rail authorities said. Firefighters and medical teams responded with dozens of units, and emergency crews evacuated all passengers and transported the injured to Moisès Broggi, Bellvitge, and Vilafranca hospitals.

Catalonia’s civil protection agency said the train struck the collapsed segment of the wall, damaging the driver’s cab and derailing the first carriage, where most of the injuries occurred. Officials said emergency services included 20 ambulances and 38 firefighting units at the scene.

The identity of the driver has not yet been released, and authorities are continuing safety assessments. Services across Catalonia’s Rodalies commuter rail network have been suspended pending safety checks.

Tuesday’s derailment comes just two days after a catastrophic high-speed train collision in southern Spain that killed at least 42 people, prompting three days of national mourning. Spain’s rail operator Adif attributed the Gelida wall collapse to intense rain after prolonged dry conditions, raising questions about climate-related infrastructure vulnerability.