A gas explosion at the entrance of the L5 metro line in Plaça de Sants, Barcelona, has left 8 people injured, with 2 in serious condition. The incident occurred during renovation work at the station.
According to initial information, an underground gas pipeline was damaged during construction work on the afternoon of July 22, resulting in a gas leak in the area. Barcelona fire services and employees of the gas supply company were called to the scene and took safety measures to contain the leak.
However, a powerful explosion occurred in the evening during repairs to the gas line. The explosion caused a fire that lasted for a long time. Firefighters stated that it was impossible to fully extinguish the flames until the gas flow was completely shut off.
All those injured were identified as workers involved in the construction project. Two of the injured were taken to Vall d'Hebron Hospital in serious condition, while others were transported to various medical facilities in the city with injuries of varying severity. Eight emergency medical teams were dispatched to the scene.
Following the incident, police cordoned off the area, traffic on Sants Street was halted, and one of the metro station entrances was closed. Meanwhile, service on the L1 and L5 metro lines continued. The Government of Catalonia has activated the preliminary preparation mode of its emergency plan.
An investigation is underway to determine the exact causes of the incident.