The high-speed line Madrid-Barcelona has partially restored circulation after the fire of an AVE in Ricla, Zaragoza, which has affected more than 11,000 travelers this Monday, October 12. The reopening, announced by EFE, comes after an afternoon of stopped trains, canceled departures, and alternative road travel.
The balance includes passengers from the three operators of the corridor. According to the estimates of the companies collected by El País, Renfe places the affected between 4,500 and 5,000; Iryo, at about 4,500; and Ouigo, at just over 2,000.
The partial recovery represents a change from the complete cut, but it does not equate to the normalization of all services nor does it eliminate the consequences of the cancellations and accumulated delays.
More than 11,000 affected among Renfe, Iryo, and Ouigo
The scope of the incident goes far beyond the occupants of the burned train. The interruption has impacted the entire Madrid-Barcelona corridor, in the midst of the return operation from the Pilar bridge.
At the time of the incident, 14 Renfe trains were stopped at stations such as Guadalajara, Calatayud, Zaragoza, and Lleida, as explained by Sergio Bueno, deputy general director to the presidency of the operator.
The balance published by El País raises the number of affected services to more than 30 among trains that were already circulating and others that had their departure scheduled. Therefore, the number of affected travelers includes different situations: passengers stopped during the journey and users who could not start their planned trip.
Buses, ticket changes, and refunds
To save the interrupted section, Renfe organized a bus service between Zaragoza and Calatayud to connect with the railway services. Iryo also resorted to road transport to transfer affected passengers.
The companies have announced different measures for those whose plans have been disrupted:
* Renfe has offered free changes and refunds due to the incident.
* Iryo has allowed changes or cancellations at no cost for tickets of travelers who had not started their journey.
* Ouigo has offered free date changes or full refunds, in addition to a voucher equivalent to 200% of the ticket price, according to the information published by El País.
The partial reopening does not allow for a previously canceled departure to be considered completed. Travelers must check with their operator the specific situation of their train before heading to the station.
The 283 passengers of the AVE were evacuated
The fire was detected around 16:05 in the tail cabin of an AVE that had left Madrid-Puerta de Atocha at 14:27 bound for Figueres.
Renfe estimated the evacuated travelers at 283 and reported that no injuries had been recorded. The fire forced the interruption of circulation and the cutting of the catenary tension to facilitate the intervention of emergency services.
The company assured that the passengers were not at risk and that the train had its inspections in order. The causes of the fire were not determined in the explanations provided during the afternoon.