Overview
- A rear-unit fire on an AVE that departed Madrid Atocha for Figueres caused an evacuation near Ricla on Monday, October 12, with emergency crews extinguishing the blaze and no serious injuries reported.
- Operators cut catenary power and suspended the Calatayud–Zaragoza section, which halted dozens of trains and affected between roughly 11,000 and 13,000 passengers across Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo services.
- Renfe reports 283 passengers were evacuated from the affected convoy while other outlets gave higher counts; two people received brief medical attention for dizziness but there were no major injuries.
- Service partially resumed overnight on a single track between Ricla and Plasencia de Jalón with temporary speed limits and train-by-sight rules because the burned unit has not yet been removed and cables need repair.
- Renfe and Adif have reprogrammed departures, run some trains in double composition and offered free changes or refunds, but passengers reported long waits and poor communication at hubs as recovery work continues and delays persist.