Barcelona Firefighters worked throughout the night to control the situation, using a water column to cool the area around the flame and prevent overheating. The gas leak occurred on Wednesday afternoon during accessibility works at the station, and the deflagration happened at 22:50, causing the injuries and subsequent fire.
The head of intervention for the firefighters, Albert Ventosa, explained that the strategy was not to extinguish the flame immediately to avoid further gas pockets and potential new deflagrations. Balloons were inserted into the pipes to sectorize the gas, a lengthy procedure that finally allowed the flame to self-extinguish as the remaining gas burned off.
The Deputy Mayor for Security of the Barcelona City Council, Albert Batlle, announced that the council "will demand explanations from the administrations and companies" involved in this incident, as well as in the sinkhole that appeared in the R2 works in Vallbona. Batlle pointed to the Territory Department of the Generalitat and the construction company as responsible for explaining the reasons behind the events.
The eight injured individuals were attended by the System of Medical Emergencies (SEM) and transferred to various hospitals in Barcelona. Mayor Jaume Collboni visited the scene, and Deputy Mayor Raquel Gil reported that only one family required assistance from the CUESB due to their state of distress.
The area remains cordoned off, and the Guardia Urbana recommends avoiding travel in the vicinity. The incident has forced the diversion of five TMB bus lines.
