Barcelona’s metro system carried out a major emergency drill early Wednesday morning on the L3 line, testing how teams would respond to a total power outage and full train evacuation between Plaça Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia.
Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) and the General Directorate of Civil Protection ran the exercise to check critical response protocols in a difficult underground setting. The scenario placed a train in a narrow tunnel section, about 300 metres from Passeig de Gràcia, where lateral evacuation was not possible.
The drill recreated a citywide-style blackout scenario, with the tunnel in complete darkness and only emergency lighting available. Around 80 emergency professionals took part, including the Barcelona Fire Service, Catalan Police, Barcelona Urban Guard and the Emergency and Social Urgency Centre of Barcelona (CUESB). Another 40 volunteers, including TMB staff, students and people with reduced mobility, acted as passengers.
The Metro Control Centre activated the evacuation protocol straight away. Passengers were taken out through the front door of the train, then guided along the tracks to the Passeig de Gràcia station concourse. The station is a key interchange for metro, regional rail and national rail services.
The exercise also tested communication where mobile coverage is limited or unavailable, along with the RESCAT network used by emergency services. Teams worked through the Advanced Command Centre, while firefighters, police and civil protection staff coordinated access, security, traffic control and passenger support. The drill also included a search for two simulated disoriented people inside the tunnel.
Organisers said the exercise helped refine protocols and improve coordination between services, especially for a total power cut in a hard-to-access tunnel. For more Barcelona transport coverage, see our Sport and Community pages, and follow our WhatsApp community for updates.
Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
