High-speed trains between Andalucia and Madrid were suspended for several hours on Saturday after a fire broke out in the last carriage of a train near Argamasilla de Calatrava (Ciudad Real).
The incident forced the evacuation of 210 passengers and services were halted while firefighters tackled the blaze and the Guardia Civil cleared the train.
Emergency services received the first call at around 2.05pm from kilometre 201 of the line. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The fire started in an empty carriage on a train travelling from Almeria to Madrid, according to Renfe.
Passengers were safely evacuated and later allowed back on board to collect belongings while they waited for a replacement convoy. Traffic on the line, suspended between Puertollano and Villanueva de Cordoba, was restored once Adif engineers assessed the tracks and gave the all-clear.
Fire crews from Puertollano were able to bring the blaze under control before it spread further. Daniel Dorado, one of the firefighters on scene, said the flames had damaged electronic components and cables, which had melted, but the focus of the operation had been to cool the area and prevent diesel leaks.
An ambulance with basic life support was also deployed as a precaution, but it was not needed.
The incident disrupted several high-speed services. Among those delayed were the AVE 02123 Málaga–Madrid, stopped at Puertollano; the AVE 02136 Madrid–Granada, halted at Malagón; and the AVLO 02137 Sevilla–Madrid, detained in Villanueva de Córdoba. All later resumed their journeys once the line was reopened.
Renfe confirmed that the AVANT 08151 Puertollano–Madrid service will run by bus between Puertollano and Ciudad Real until further notice. The company has not specified when normal circulation on the line will be fully restored.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
