A MASSIVE fire on Barcelona’s metro sent passengers running for cover and left over 100 commuters treated for smoke inhalation.
Passengers travelling between Clot and Glories on the Barcelona metro were caught in a billow of thick black smoke after a fire broke out on the Line 1 metro tunnel yesterday around 5.40pm.Â
The most likely cause of the fire is currently believed to be due to a piece of the tunnel cladding that came loose, colliding with the metro’s overhead powerline and starting a major fire.
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The train, which was carrying around 300 passengers, suddenly hit the brakes about 50 metres away from the flames. The metro driver immediately notified the fire department.
Videos circulating social media show panicked passengers doubled down, trying to avoid inhaling as the carriage began filling with smoke.
Although passengers were advised to remain on board and wait for help in the case of a fire, the carriage quickly filled with thick smoke, making the air unbreathable.
Some passengers opened the doors and left the carriage, evacuating down the tunnel.
Others waited in the smoke for emergency services to arrive, covering their mouths with their hands and t-shirts.
Firefighters promptly arrived at the scene to extinguish the blaze and assist the remaining passengers.
A total of 137 people suffered injuries from smoke inhalation, with some treated on the scene with oxygen masks, and others taken to Barcelona hospital.
The metro driver was among the injured, after staying behind to assist the passengers who had waited on the carriage.
After two hours, crews arrived to ventilate the tunnel and metro engineers to repair the overhead damage.
Because of the incident, much of Line 1 was suspended for several hours, with services completely halted between Universitat and La Sagrera.
The service was back to normal Tuesday morning, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) announced.
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