Ourense freight train sparks eight forest fires, halting rail service

On July 13, a freight train traveling on the conventional line between Ourense and Santiago de Compostela sparked eight simultaneous forest fires in the municipalities of Maside, Ourense, Amoeiro and Punxín. The fires burned roughly 7‑8.5 hectares before being extinguished, with two hotspots remaining active for several hours.

The incident forced the suspension of rail traffic on the Ourense‑Santiago corridor for several hours, resulting in the cancellation of fifteen medium‑distance trains and requiring passenger transfers by road. High‑speed services were not affected. Adif, the rail infrastructure manager, said the fire was “external to the infrastructure” and noted it had no information about the train’s owning company, which it said was an external operator separate from Renfe.

Provincial president Luis Menor, also leader of the PP in Ourense, accused Adif of negligence for failing to maintain the rail surroundings, claiming the incident reflected a broader lack of investment and attention from the central government.