The incident occurred due to successive electrical issues between Sants and la Sagrera. At the request of the Fire Department, Adif technicians cut the power supply, leaving the train stranded in an area not yet open to the public. Passengers had to wait for over an hour before being led out along temporary platforms.

Civil Protection activated the Ferrocat emergency plan to manage the evacuation. The situation has added to the ongoing frustration of commuters in Catalonia, who have faced daily delays since an accident in Gelida on January 20th. Long-distance services in Figueres were also impacted by the blackout.