A gas explosion during metro construction at plaça de Sants injured eight people, two of them seriously, and renewed questions about the safety of Barcelona’s public works. The incident occurred on 23 July 2026, when a drilling machine pierced a gas pipe and sent flames into the street for more than 12 hours. It happened two days before the anniversary of the opening of the 1992 Olympic Games, adding to unease in the city.
Emergency services responded, but the gas network could not be isolated immediately. Firefighters worked through the night, using water jets to contain the blaze and inflatable sealing devices to block multiple gas escape points. The fire went out after the leaks were sealed, ending a tense operation that kept residents on edge. Some locals described flames reaching more than ten metres high outside their homes.
The works at Sants metro station are part of an accessibility upgrade led by the regional government’s Department of Territory, with a budget of nearly €16 million and a schedule running through 2028. The project aims to remove level differences at platforms and improve access between lines. Barcelona’s direct L1 and L5 connection at plaça de Sants remained closed as part of the wider programme. The city council addressed public concerns, while officials clarified that the project is managed at regional level. On Thursday, Albert Batlle, Barcelona’s deputy mayor for security, called for full accountability from the responsible administrations and contractors.
Technical teams have said the incidents are distinct and urged residents to trust established safety protocols. Carles Vaccaro, head of civil works at Infraestructures.cat, addressed the media for the first time in his two-decade career. He stressed that the gas explosion and the sinkhole linked to L9 metro works in Sant Gervasi are separate events. The Sant Gervasi collapse was detected on 7 July near FGC’s El Putxet station. It affected an interior courtyard, measuring about eight metres across and four metres deep, and prompted the evacuation of eight buildings containing 93 homes. Vaccaro also referred to a separate sinkhole in Vallbona, associated with infrastructure under the responsibility of Adif, Spain’s national rail infrastructure operator.
The effects of the Sant Gervasi collapse continued into autumn. On 19 October, authorities said some displaced residents were expected to return the following week, while 18 homes and seven commercial premises still had no return date. All families were expected to return by early 2027, after repair and safety work. Vallbona involves a different infrastructure manager, so the events at Sants, Sant Gervasi and Vallbona are being handled under separate project and institutional frameworks.
Barcelona’s metro programme also includes large work elsewhere on the network. Ferrocarril Metropolità de Barcelona tendered the renewal of 3,050 metres of double track between Verdaguer and Camp de l’Arpa, with a base budget of €15.2 million excluding VAT and an estimated duration of about seven months. Information from a report by El Periódico de Catalunya, service interruptions are planned in phases in summer 2027. The section between Verdaguer and Camp de l’Arpa is due to close from 25 June to 12 August, followed by an extension to Diagonal from 12 to 31 August. These works add to the construction and service changes affecting the city’s transport network.
Similar concerns about gas safety and emergency response arose in the earlier explosion at the Plaça de Sants metro works, which also caused injuries and a prolonged fire, as detailed in coverage of the earlier Plaça de Sants incident. The events have heightened public anxiety as Barcelona faces several infrastructure incidents in a short period. The city’s response has focused on transparency and technical explanations, but for many residents, the succession of incidents has eroded confidence in ongoing construction projects.
Barcelona’s experience is not unique in Spain, where urban development meets existing underground networks. The incidents may prompt closer scrutiny of how public works are planned and carried out, particularly in areas with dense underground utilities. Officials say each event is under investigation and that public safety remains the priority as the city continues its infrastructure programme.
