A fire broke out at about 16:05 local time on 12 October 2026 in the rear cab of an AVE train near Ricla in Zaragoza province. The train had departed Madrid Puerta de Atocha station at 14:27 en route to Figueres. All 283 passengers on board were evacuated without injury.
Scope of Disruption
Renfe reported the fire affected 33 trains and 12,979 passengers travelling along the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail corridor. Eighteen trains were held at their origin stations, while fourteen were stranded at intermediate stops during the disruption.
Operational Impact
Service was temporarily suspended on the Madrid-Barcelona route while firefighters extinguished the blaze and infrastructure
inspections were performed. Train operations have since resumed but only a single track is in use between Ricla and Plasencia de Jalón due to the presence of the affected train, reducing capacity. Rail traffic must observe a temporary speed limit of 80 km/h on this segment, leading to delays and potential queuing.
Response and Restoration Efforts
Adif, the railway infrastructure manager, confirmed firefighters completed their work allowing inspections to proceed. Gradual restoration of train service has been authorized, but full two-track operation has yet to resume pending removal of the disabled train. Renfe has adapted timetables and coupled certain trains to maximize capacity during
repairs. Trains held at origin stations were expected to restart service by about 23:00 on 12 October.
Passenger Impact and Support
Delays exceeding two hours occurred at some stations on 13 October. Passengers experienced long queues, including at Barcelona Sants station, caused by reduced service and single-track restrictions. Renfe is offering free ticket changes and refunds for all affected services on the corridor. Travelers are advised to anticipate delays and verify updates with their operating company, as multiple operators including Renfe, Ouigo, and iryo serve this route.
Cause and Outlook
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with no official determination released. Adif has not given
a timeline for clearing the affected train or returning to normal double-track operation. Service disruption continues as the corridor operates under restricted conditions.
