Around 12 people were injured, three seriously, following an incident on a train passing through Torás in the province of Castellón (Valencia region) on Tuesday evening, and close to Bejís where forest fires continue to rage.
According to reports from Spain’s Europa Press agency, a train that was running between Valencia and Zaragoza stopped due to the proximity of the Bejís forest fire. Some passengers then broke windows to escape the train, but ended up falling directly near the fire, according to Spain’s railway infrastructure company Adif.
The two most seriously injured were a 58-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl who both suffered severe burns. Other passengers are reported to have suffered fractures and some minor injuries.
The president of the Valencian government, Ximo Puig, said that what happened was ‘a gust of wind caused the fire to reach the track’. He said that Renfe ‘will give the appropriate explanations of what has happened’ and added that his greatest concern was for the people who have been injured, wishing them ‘a speedy recovery’.
The Spanish government’s delegate in the Valencia region, Pilar Bernabé, said that the train driver decided to return to Caudiel after the train arrived at Torás (one of the municipalities evacuated on Tuesday due to the Bejís forest fire), because ashes were falling from the sky.
It was during this return manoeuvre that a group of passengers ‘opened the doors and got out, when these problems occurred’, said Bernabé, who clarified that the train finally arrived at Caudiel station with ‘no problem’.
Puig sobre el suceso en el tren por el incendio: "En un momento determinado el viento ha hecho llegar a la vía el fuego"
— Europa Press Comunitat Valenciana (@EPCValenciana) August 16, 2022
Bernabé asegura que la maquinista decidió regresar, a la altura de Torás, al ver que caían cenizas https://t.co/sxAKQOKdaR
Varios heridos cuando un tren ha quedado atrapado en el #IFBejís.
— NoMePisesLaManguera (@PlinioElGuapo) August 16, 2022
Los heridos están siendo atendidos en la estación de #Caudiel están siendo por efectivos de @GVAsanitat, @CruzRojaCS y @UMEgob pic.twitter.com/7XGoFKdgze
🌒Finaliza un día en el que se han se han vivido momentos de incertidumbre y miedo por la evacuación de varias localidades debido al #IFBejís.
— Emergències 112CV (@GVA112) August 16, 2022
A todas las personas afectadas por este incendio y el #IFValldEbo, nuestra solidaridad y el deseo de que regresen pronto a sus casas. pic.twitter.com/n8FMid4jY8
Situación muy complicada en este momento en #IFBejis. Se está procediendo a desalojo de la localidad . @BombersDipcas ha movilizado 10 dotaciones de bomberos junto a un pelotón de @UMEgob para defensa de la localidad . El PMA se va a trasladar de localidad pic.twitter.com/fIyX3XpWxc
— Bombers Dipcas (@BombersDipcas) August 16, 2022
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