Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), the public transport operator, will audit the linings of every Barcelona Metro tunnel after a fire on Line 1 between Clot and Glòries on 27 July. The inspection is intended to check that materials which meet fire regulations do not create an additional risk, a safety issue for passengers travelling through the network.
Xavier Flores, TMB's chief executive, announced the audit after the incident, in which nearly 140 people were injured. TMB has announced the review but has not set a completion date.
"If any element is found to behave differently from what is expected in a fire, it will be replaced," Flores said.
Commuters can check TMB's official incident notice and its service information channels for updates affecting Metro journeys.
Fire linked to lining installed during Glòries works
According to Flores, the fire began when a section of waterproof lining detached after repeated train movements and came into contact with the overhead electrical supply. The material had been installed in December 2019 during work on the Glòries road tunnels.
Flores said the lining that burned is not used on any other section of the Metro network. He said the fire started and was extinguished quickly, with portable fire extinguishers used at the scene.
Emergency information for passengers to be expanded
TMB will strengthen emergency procedures by giving passengers more information during incidents. Alongside messages from drivers' cabs, trains will carry safety-advice posters intended to guide passengers.
During the L1 incident, passengers used the emergency door release, which TMB said allowed smoke into the train and led many people to enter the track area. The new measures are intended to reduce the risk of a similar evacuation situation.
Primary sources: noticies.tmb.cat, noticies.tmb.cat, noticies.tmb.cat, noticies.tmb.cat, barcelona.cat, noticies.tmb.cat. Reported by beteve.cat, Lorraine Delorenzo, Joan Antoni Guerrero Vall, Marti Doñate, Clàudia Mas, totbarcelona.cat, Silvia Fernández, metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, ARA, Redacció, RTVE.es, metropoliabierta.cat, Betevé.
