The Lisbon Metro Blue Line is interrupted since yesterday for an indefinite period due to the collapse of a part of the tunnel in Praça de Espanha. While the repair is ongoing, circulation on the Blue Line is only between two sections (Reboleira to Laranjeiras and Marquês de Pombal to Santa Apolónia) and there is reinforcement of Carris lines.
"Traffic on the Metro Blue line is interrupted between Laranjeiras and Marquês de Pombal stations, due to the collapse of part of the ceiling of the metro tunnel at Praça de Espanha station, following the requalification works of that square, which are taking place on the surface, under the responsibility of the Lisbon City Council."one reads in a statement of the Lisbon Underground. "As a result, traffic on the Blue Line is operating in sections: between Reboleira and Laranjeiras and between Santa Apolónia and Marquês de Pombal."
The Parque, S. Sebastião (the part corresponding to the Blue Line), Praça de Espanha and Jardim Zoológico stations are closed and Carris has reinforced two routes:
- 746 between Marquês de Pombal and Sete Rios, with the night service extended until 1am;
- 726 between Arco do Cego, Sete Rios and Pontinha
The accident resulted in minor injuries to three passengers and, according to Metro de Lisboa and the City Council, the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (LNEC) is on site to investigate the technical circumstances that led to the incident and to coordinate the repairs in order to guarantee the full reopening of the Blue Line. Already at a press conferencethis morning, Fernando Medina, Mayor of Lisbon, said that "The unfortunate accident that took place yesterday on the Metro Blue Line is the result of a work carried out by the Lisbon City Council (...) which is being carried out on the surface and which, as a result of a gross error, is being improperly perforated" in the Metro tunnel.
Fernando Medina said that an investigation had already been launched, overseen by the President of the Order of Engineers, to find out what happened. "the place of responsibility, whether it's the design of the project, its execution or supervision, or whether it's a combination of these factors".
At the same press conference, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Metropolitano de Lisboa, Vitor Domingues dos Santos, said that he expects the reopening of the Blue Line to take place as late as Friday morning. "There's a hole and we have to cover it, and we're going to cover it with iron and concrete. We hope to start that in the afternoon"mentioned. "During the early hours of the morning we restored the electrification, signaling and emergency communication lines. Now we just have to solve the problem of the hole."
