The Community of Madrid has intensified this Wednesday its response device to the railway accident that occurred near the Urda station (Toledo), deploying an advanced medical post in the area of the accident and another specific care unit at Atocha station, in addition to activating numerous health, emergency, and forensic resources.
The Madrid president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has gone to the headquarters of the Agency for Security and Emergencies 112 (ASEM112), in Pozuelo de Alarcón, to oversee on the ground the coordination of the relief tasks and the mobilization of resources.
The accident was recorded at 8:45 a.m., when the AVE 2080 train, which had departed from Madrid bound for Seville, collided with the Iryo 6076 train that was traveling ahead of it, causing the derailment of the last two carriages of this latter convoy, according to the official data available so far.
"All our attention, vigilance, and work are right now focused solely on helping to alleviate the effects of this devastating accident," said the head of the regional Executive after meeting in the crisis room of ASEM112.
Given the magnitude of the accident, ASEM112 has put in place intervention resources, health assistance, logistical support, and care for victims and relatives, both to act in the affected area and for the assistance provided in the capital.
As this is the second most serious railway accident in the history of Spain, only behind that of Angrois, the regional Executive has set as a priority objective the support of the injured and their families.
At the accident site itself, Summa 112 has set up a health assistance area where eleven people have been treated and two others have been transferred, according to the information provided by the Madrid Government.
Meanwhile, the public hospitals of La Paz, 12 de Octubre and Getafe have been prepared for the reception of injured people in case new transfers are necessary. The Madrid Health Service (Sermas) also has 922 free beds to deal with any eventuality.
86 injured treated and hospital reinforcement
The latest report released by the regional Government raises to ten the people attended at the advanced health post of Summa 112 installed at the scene of the accident, while another 76 have been assisted in the hospitals of La Paz, 12 de Octubre, Getafe, Puerta de Hierro, La Princesa, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Hospital del Henares, Hospital del Tajo, Hospital de Fuenlabrada, Hospital de Torrejón, Hospital Rey Juan Carlos, Hospital Infanta Sofía, Hospital de Villalba and Hospital Clínico San Carlos.
Simultaneously, the General Directorate of Civil Protection has activated the Contact Person with Family members service (PECO), operating at the Atocha station, where a Family Assistance Center has been set up.
At this location, Summa 112 has also deployed a specialized team for assisting victims and relatives, made up of two psychologists, a duty supervisor, a Rapid Intervention Vehicle (VIR), a Medical Home Care Unit and another nursing unit, totaling 13 professionals.
The health emergency service has likewise mobilized close to fifty professionals and numerous material resources: a medicalized helicopter, two mobile ICU units, a VIR, ten Basic Life Support units (SVB), a Logistics Support Vehicle and another Disaster Vehicle, in addition to a duty chief and two coordination units.
As for the rescue services, ten members of the Immediate Response Team of Civil Protection Volunteers in Emergencies (ERIVE) have been activated. This operation has ambulances, a heavy logistics truck with a trailer equipped with four 5x5 meter tents, six stretchers, tables and benches, more than 40 cots and lighting material, as well as two all-terrain vehicles and a catering vehicle.
The Fire Department of the Community of Madrid has added to the operation three heavy rural fire engines and another three rescue vans, together with the corresponding command and coordination teams.
In addition, through Madrid 112, an informational website has been set up with three contact telephone numbers for those trying to locate affected relatives or acquaintances.
The regional Government has also activated resources to collaborate in the identification of the dead victims. Specifically, four forensic doctors and four psychologists from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (IMLCF) have been mobilized.
These professionals will remain operational 24 hours a day in rotating shifts, deployed to the victim assistance office for the accident located in the district of Arganzuela. Their task will be to gather useful information for the identification of the deceased and provide specialized psychological support to their families.
Likewise, the Social Emergency Service of the Community of Madrid remains on standby awaiting the arrival of affected passengers and relatives at the Atocha station, pending the instructions of Civil Protection.
This resource has a device made up of three mobile units with a team of seven professionals, including a psychologist, and a dozen workers at the central office of the Social Emergency Service, ready for coordination and support tasks.
The accident has forced the railway traffic to be cut on the high-speed line that connects Madrid with Andalusia. The Regional Transport Consortium of the Community of Madrid (CRTM) has made its fleet of intercity buses available to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility and to the Junta de Communities of Castilla-La Mancha to cover any need arising from this serious railway accident.