Barcelona's metro network faced a major disruption after a fire broke out in a tunnel on Line 1 between Clot and Glòries, forcing passengers to evacuate and sending dozens for medical care. The incident occurred on Monday and was attributed by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) CEO Xavier Flores to the ignition of waterproofing material installed during earlier construction works near Glòries. The situation escalated when several passengers activated the emergency brake and opened train doors, allowing smoke to fill the carriages before the official evacuation protocol could be completed.
The Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) attended to 139 people: 129 suffered minor injuries and seven were classified as less seriously injured. In total, 39 people were taken to hospitals and urgent-care centers. After detecting the fire about 50 meters from its source, the train driver attempted to follow protocol by switching cabins to reverse the train and evacuate passengers at Clot station. Passengers’ use of the emergency door releases led instead to an evacuation through the tunnel, complicating rescue efforts and increasing exposure to smoke.
TMB said the waterproofing material involved was unique within the metro system and had been installed specifically during works in the Glòries area. The company launched an internal investigation into the precise cause of the fire and maintained that the Barcelona metro remained safe for public use. In a follow-up reported by El Nacional on 4 August, journalist Joan Antoni Guerrero Vall said TMB planned an audit of the linings in all metro tunnels and would introduce additional measures to improve instructions for passengers during incidents. The audit is an operational review; its reported scope is the tunnel linings across the network.
The fire's aftermath drew political criticism. Jordi Martí, president of Junts per Barcelona, called for a thorough review of metro safety protocols and asked TMB and Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni to provide explanations. Martí described the evacuation process as unacceptable and said it could have had far more severe consequences for the nearly 200 people affected. He also said that, information from passenger accounts, many people left the tunnel on their own before receiving assistance.
The incident came amid other transport disruptions in Barcelona, including a gas deflagration during work on Line 5 at Plaça de Sants on 23 July 2026. Regió7 reported eight people injured in that separate incident, two seriously. It involved a different line and location, with a separate immediate hazard from the Line 1 fire near Glòries.
Metro service returned to normal the day after the fire, with all lines operating without further issues, TMB said. The company continued to emphasize the network's safety while its investigation proceeded. The incident renewed public debate over emergency procedures and the materials used in infrastructure projects. Similar concerns about evacuation and emergency response have arisen elsewhere in Spain, including during recent wildfires that forced mass evacuations in Ávila and Madrid. Reports have detailed how Talavera de la Reina and Escalona hosted evacuees during the crisis.
Barcelona's metro is one of the busiest in Spain, serving millions of passengers each month. The fire has focused attention on the challenges of maintaining safety in urban infrastructure during construction and renovation, as well as on how passengers are instructed during emergencies. TMB's planned tunnel-lining audit and revised passenger-safety measures form part of the response as its investigation continues.
