At 8:53 a.m. on October 28, two trains collided near Urda, a town in Spain’s Toledo province, about 150 km from Madrid.
In the first few hours alone, the toll stood at more than 60 dead and numerous seriously injured, who began to be transported to nearby hospitals.
The local parish priest was quick to arrive at the scene of the tragedy. Father José Miguel was there from the very beginning, standing by those affected. It was his mission to make God’s presence felt in the midst of adversity.
FR. JOSÉ MIGUEL FERNÁNDEZ
Parish Priest of Urda (Toledo, Spain)
I’m here, there, trying to comfort them, to really comfort them, to take them by the hand. I was right at the scene of the accident, and some of those who were able to walk out on their own, well, some of them needed a hug. And, well, that moment, that’s God’s loving embrace.”
The Archbishop of Toledo, Monsignor Francisco Cerro, was also quick to make his way to the scene of the incident. In fact, just as Rome Reports was speaking with the parish priest, the bishop had just arrived at the facility set up to care for the injured and their families.
FR. JOSÉ MIGUEL FERNÁNDEZ
Parish Priest of Urda (Toledo, Spain)
He is here in the ward with the family members, trying to comfort them and help them realize that they are not alone, that God is by their side and is helping them during this time.
The parish has also made all of its facilities available for anything needed. And the local residents were there from the very beginning, lending a hand.
FR. JOSÉ MIGUEL FERNÁNDEZ
Parish Priest of Urda (Toledo, Spain)
Those with minor injuries were transported from the accident site in the private cars of Urda residents, who were the first to respond, primarily forest rangers and people who were working on the farms adjacent to the site.
Those injured were transferred to a sports pavilion that was converted into an emergency reception center. The atmosphere in the pavilion during those early hours was tense. The families of the train passengers gathered there to find their loved ones.
FR. JOSÉ MIGUEL FERNÁNDEZ
Parish Priest of Urda (Toledo, Spain)
In the shelters here, right now, families are arriving, all very anxious because they can’t find their loved ones. They can’t be given any information yet, because most of the injured who arrived in Urda have already left—they were in relatively good enough condition to walk out on their own—but those who are in the hospitals haven’t been identified yet because, well, the first priority upon their arrival at the hospital was to treat them. They’ll be identified later on.
This is the second train accident with serious consequences to occur in Spain so far this year. On January 18, 46 people were killed on the same Madrid-Seville route, near Adamuz, in the province of Córdoba, after two trains derailed.
At the time, Pope Leon XIV sent a telegram expressing his condolences to the victims and offering words of encouragement to the rescue teams.
