Spanish government criticised for covering up another train derailment

Criticism is mounting in Spain’s Basque Country over what opposition leaders describe as an “information blackout” following the derailment of a train carrying hazardous goods in Irún, Gipuzkoa, an incident that exposed gaps in public communication from both regional and national authorities. 

The freight train came off the rails late on Friday, February 6, at the Belaskoenea station in Irún, close to the French border. At least some of the wagons were designed for transporting dangerous materials, such as highly flammable liquids, prompting concern given the proximity of residential buildings and businesses. 

Despite this, neither the Basque Government nor infrastructure operator Adif issued detailed information about the causes or consequences of the derailment in the days that followed, drawing sharp criticism from regional politicians. 

Opposition accuses authorities of silence

The People’s Party (PP) in the Basque Parliament has vigorously condemned what it calls a “silence” from the regional executive in Vitoria. The party’s parliamentary spokesman Santiago López lodged a formal request for information, saying that it was “inexcusable” that no official explanation had been provided on a matter that “affects railway safety”. 

According to López, the absence of a public briefing or press conference from the Government Vasco, Euskal Trenbide Sarea (ETS) or the Basque Department of Sustainable Mobility has left the public in the dark about key details of the episode. “This is not a minor incident or just another technical fault,” he said, urging full transparency. 

The party has also raised other unanswered questions, including which authority is responsible for the track where the incident took place, which administration should have overseen safety measures, and which protocols were activated once the derailment was discovered. 

Local officials break the silence

The first public information about the incident came not from official sources, but from Borja Corominas, PP spokesperson on the San Sebastián City Council, who posted images on social media showing a rail break and a wagon off the tracks. The post emphasised that the train was transporting liquids marked as highly flammable. 

Later, rail operator Renfe acknowledged to fact‑checking outlet Maldita.es that “there was an incident involving a freight train on 6 February at 22:21” and confirmed that the cargo was classified as dangerous. Renfe said the situation had only a limited effect on passenger services, as trains were diverted and traffic restored early the following morning. 

Adif also told Maldita.es that overall rail traffic was not seriously affected during the incident. 

Authorities’ response and confusion

In contrast to the silence over the Irún incident, the Basque Government reportedly disputed that a derailment had occurred at all in that location. According to some statements, officials pointed out that multiple lines run through the area, some under central government competence, and that the event might have involved sections outside regional control. 

Meanwhile, sources quoted by national daily La Razón suggest that the derailment involved the axle of a wagon leaving the rails, without overturning the entire train. In that account, there were no significant disruptions to traffic beyond the affected locomotive and carriages. 

The lack of official detail comes amid heightened scrutiny of railway safety in Spain following a series of high‑profile accidents, including a fatal collision in Adamuz (Córdoba) earlier this year that killed dozens and triggered national discussions about maintenance and infrastructure oversight and the Rodalies R4 accident that killed a driver and injured over 30 passengers in Barcelona a few days after.

Calls for accountability

The PP has indicated that it will pursue the matter further, including in the Spanish Congress, where it plans to ask the national government to explain both the Irún incident and broader concerns about rail safety. Some reports suggest the party intends to hold Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez directly accountable for improved transparency and maintenance policies. 

Local PP leaders in Gipuzkoa have echoed these sentiments, saying that residents deserve clear answers, particularly given the risk posed by transporting hazardous materials near housing and industrial zones. 

Public concern persists

The episode has added to growing unease among train users nationwide, who have expressed diminishing confidence in rail safety in the wake of recent crashes and near‑misses, according to independent surveys. Some segments of the public have even reconsidered rail travel due to perceived information gaps and infrastructure issues. 

As political pressure builds, authorities in both Madrid and Vitoria are likely to face renewed demands for more transparent communication about rail incidents, not just the technical causes but also their implications for public safety and maintenance regimes.