The toll could have been much heavier. Just over 150 passengers were slightly injured on Wednesday morning in the suburbs of Barcelona, Spain, due to a collision between two trains, said the emergency services and the Spanish railway company. According to a spokeswoman for the medical emergency services (SEM), in detail, 150 people were “slightly injured” and five others “moderately”. “These are bruises, some facial trauma, but not serious,” said an official.
The collision occurred “at 7:50 a.m. at the Montcada i Reixac-Manresa station, on the line towards Barcelona”, a Renfe spokesman told AFP, adding that a train heading towards Barcelona had “hit the back of another” stationary train.
“Don’t make assumptions” yet
An investigation has been opened by Renfe to determine the causes of the accident, which took place about 10 km north of the Catalan metropolis. The Minister of Transport, Raquel Sánchez, who immediately went there, asked to “not make assumptions” on this subject.
Questioned by national television, several passengers evacuated from the train which was hit at the rear said they felt “a big shock” and reported people being thrown to the ground or banging their heads. Train traffic, which had been interrupted in both directions, was restored shortly after 10 a.m.