France railway incidents cause passenger evacuations and major delays

Multiple railway incidents occurred in France on Monday, August 17, 2026, affecting passengers on different lines.

A TGV train traveling from Paris to Saint-Malo was forced to stop at Laval station after a battery managing electricity and air conditioning in one carriage caught fire. Approximately 782 passengers and six railway staff members were evacuated from the train. Authorities reported that the evacuation was conducted smoothly without panic, and passengers were able to board a replacement train later that morning. An investigation has been opened into the cause of the electrical failure.

On a separate line, an SNCF train traveling from Le Havre through Rouen to Paris experienced a breakdown between Bréauté and Yvetot. This malfunction caused significant delays, with one specific train arriving at Paris Saint-Lazare six hours behind schedule. The delay was attributed to the need to organize a towing operation for the disabled train.