The blast at Barcelona’s Plaça de Sants metro construction site late Wednesday night left eight workers injured, two seriously. It occurred at 22:50 as crews repaired a damaged gas pipe, setting off a major fire and a large-scale emergency response. The explosion happened at the entrance to the L5 station, where crews were carrying out accessibility improvements.
Earlier that day, at 14:40, construction workers detected a gas leak near the station. Initial efforts by nine Barcelona Fire Brigade units and gas company technicians appeared to contain it. Hours later, as crews tried to repair the affected pipe, a sudden deflagration erupted and injured all eight workers at the site. All were male.
Emergency medical teams sent eight ambulances and set up an advanced medical post at the scene. Two of the injured were classified as seriously hurt. They were taken to Vall d’Hebron Hospital with two others in less severe condition. Another worker with moderate injuries and three with minor injuries went to Hospital Clínic. The fire continued after the explosion as emergency crews worked to put it out.
The Guardia Urbana cordoned off the area and closed Carrer de Sants to traffic, while Metro authorities shut only the Galileo street entrance. Both the L1 and L5 metro lines remained operational, but Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) warned that bus routes could be diverted if the fire continued into Thursday morning. The regional emergency plan Procicat was activated at the pre-alert level.
The direct L1-to-L5 interchange corridor at Plaça de Sants was already closed for improvement works, with passengers directed to follow street-level signs to transfer between the lines. TMB’s passenger notice confirmed that the connecting passage was closed for improvement works and directed passengers to use street signage for transfers. Accessibility work at the station included raising the platforms to reduce the vertical gap between platforms and trains. This work provides context for the site, while authorities investigate the cause, including whether construction activity affected gas infrastructure.
The L5 is one of Barcelona’s busiest metro lines, with 111.6 million annual validations, a figure that shows why maintaining service and managing interchange access matter. That annual total reflects use of the line, not disruption caused by this incident. Plaça de Sants is a basic transport hub, making closures and diversions consequential for commuters and local businesses. Recent reports have also highlighted pressure on public services in Spain’s major cities, including the overwhelmed juvenile violence court in Madrid, pointing to broader pressures on emergency and municipal systems.
Barcelona’s metro network is undergoing modernization, with accessibility improvements across its stations. The explosion has focused attention on the risks of work near impressive urban utilities and the safety procedures governing such projects. Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident.
