A workplace accident at the future museum works in Metro Ventas station yesterday caused a gas pipe to be perforated and forced the evacuation of the area.
The incident occurred around nine in the morning on Tuesday when several workers were drilling the ceiling of the old lobby under the bullring. One of them explained that a whistle was heard upon drilling and that they immediately turned off the switches and ran out while notifying the station chief and emergency services.
Firefighters from the Madrid City Council continued working until 19:00 to extract a gas bag trapped in a vault. Traffic was cut on Calle de Alcalá and the M-30 accesses, while the subway was evacuated preventively and sections of lines 2 and 5 were interrupted due to the gas smell that spread through the tunnels.
The Hilti drill remained stuck in the ceiling. Those in charge now plan to open a pit at the intersection of Julio Camba and Alcalá streets to release the remaining gas and repair the damaged pipe, tasks that will extend over several days during the San Isidro fair.
