Coach Fire Closes C-31 in Badalona

A coach caught fire on the C-31 between Badalona and Sant Adrià de Besòs on May 23, prompting a brief full closure of one of the main roads into Barcelona, according to Catalan emergency and traffic authorities. Bombers de la Generalitat said the alert came at 18:33 and that the passengers were able to leave the vehicle. No injuries were reported, according to Bombers and Servei Català de Trànsit. By early evening, the fire was under control and one lane toward Barcelona had reopened, local media reported, citing traffic officials. ### Where exactly did the fire happen? The C-31 incident happened on the stretch between Badalona and Sant Adrià de Besòs, on the northeastern approach to Barcelona, according to Bombers de la Generalitat and Spanish media reports. El País, citing Bombers, reported that the fire began at about 6:30 p.m. on that section of the road and left the coach burned out. El Periódico and ARA both placed the incident on the Badalona stretch of the C-31 and said the road was affected in the direction of Barcelona. ### What did emergency crews say about injuries and the evacuation? Bombers de la Generalitat said the passengers “were able to get out” of the coach and that there were no reported injuries. The fire service said it sent five units to the scene. La Vanguardia, citing Servei Català de Trànsit, said the vehicle had suffered a breakdown and stopped on the shoulder before the fire started. That account was also reflected in follow-up coverage by other Spanish outlets, though authorities’ early public statements focused on the fire response and traffic disruption. ### How long was the road closed? El Periódico reported that the road was fully closed for about 30 minutes. ARA said both lanes in the direction of travel were shut during that period before traffic was partially restored. Servei Català de Trànsit described the disruption as a partial closure in later updates, after emergency crews brought the fire under control. Antena 3 and La Vanguardia reported that one lane toward Barcelona was reopened once the situation stabilized. ### What did the fire look like on scene? El País reported that the coach was left charred after the fire. El Periódico published an image showing the burned remains of the vehicle on the roadway between Badalona and Sant Adrià de Besòs. Catalunya Press reported that the blaze interrupted traffic in both directions while emergency teams worked in the area, though the clearest confirmed official detail was that the road was at least fully shut for a short period before one lane reopened. ### Which agencies handled the response? Bombers de la Generalitat led the firefighting response and issued the clearest early public account, including the 18:33 alert time, the deployment of five units and the absence of injuries. Servei Català de Trànsit managed the road incident and traffic updates. Its public incident service was cited by multiple outlets as the source for the closure and the later reopening of one lane toward Barcelona. ### What comes next after the fire is out? Traffic authorities’ next step is the full normalization of circulation on the C-31 and the removal of the burned vehicle from the roadway. No authority had reported injuries as of the latest updates on May 23. Servei Català de Trànsit’s incident service remained the reference point for any further lane changes or clearance work after the partial reopening toward Barcelona.