A collapse at the R2 works between Barcelona and Montcada swallows a large crane

BarcelonaA collapse in the connection well of the R2 track burial works at the border between Barcelona and Montcada i Reixac, has swallowed a large crane and more heavy machinery, but has not caused injuries. Adif sources explained that no personal injuries have been registered as a consequence of the incident, but the sinkhole has indeed forced the preventive suspension of rail traffic between Montcada i Reixac and Sant Andreu, about three hours ago.

According to the company, one of the walls of a construction well has partially given way, that is, the reinforced structure through which workers enter the subsoil, extract material and also pass machinery to work. At present, Adif technicians are evaluating the extent of the incident and the stability of the ground.

Witnesses to the incident told ARA that a loud noise alerted people at the scene, causing everyone to leave the area moments before the collapse.

For the moment, the landslip directly affects trains on the R2 and R2 Nord lines of Rodalies, between the airport and Maçanet, and medium-distance trains between Barcelona-Figueres-Portbou, which start and end their journeys at Granollers Centre station.

A bittersweet works report

This is not the first incident registered in the works to bury the tracks in Montcada. After 30 years of failed attempts, these long-awaited works finally began in January 2024. At that time, the commencement of the burial generated a feeling of joy and at the same time skepticism among the residents of Montcada, who had been waiting for decades for the scar that divides the municipality to be stitched up and buried. During this time, almost 180 people have lost their lives at the different level crossings that cross the city.

The first year's assessment of the works, moreover, left a bittersweet taste. In February 2025 the Montcada City Council reported that significant cracks had appeared in some apartments in up to three different buildings in the Can Sant Joan neighborhood, close to the works at that time. They were cracks in the ceiling, floor, and walls, which in some cases even allowed a view of the street or adjacent neighbors.

In its statement, the municipal government stated that, without a doubt, the damage was "a consequence of the work being done to reinforce and stabilize the land in the area" and, therefore, that it was caused by the burial works. All of this caused the works at this point in the city to be stopped until the entire area was reviewed and secured. At other points along the route, the works maintained their schedule.