A fire in an electrical transformer at the FNAC store on La Rambla, opposite the Canaletes fountain, forced the evacuation of customers and staff on Monday afternoon, 17 August 2026. The incident temporarily closed access points to Catalunya station on Metro line L3 and diverted six bus routes serving the city centre.
For commuters and visitors near Plaça Catalunya, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), the city’s public transport operator, directed passengers to use the Bergara Street entrance while access near Canaletes was closed. The Pelai Street entrance was also shut for a period before reopening.
Barcelona City Council told El Periódico that nobody was injured. Seven Barcelona Fire Department units attended the scene.
Pelai Street closures affected six bus routes
Emergency work also closed Pelai Street and led to four bus stops being suspended temporarily. The affected routes were:
- D50
- H16
- V13
- V15
- 55
- 59
ElCaso reported that the fire began at about 5pm, filling the store with smoke. Barcelona Fire Department crews extinguished it within minutes and ventilated the premises, while Guàrdia Urbana, Barcelona’s municipal police, attended the area.
Access and bus services restored by about 6.30pm
Electrical company technicians went to the FNAC store to assess damage to the transformer and the possible cause of the fire, according to ElCaso.
Traffic through the area, Metro station entrances and the affected bus routes had returned to normal by about 6.30pm, the outlet reported.
Primary sources: noticies.tmb.cat. Reported by elperiodico.com, Julio Collado, El Periódico, beteve.cat, vilaweb.cat, diaridetarragona.com, CatalunyaPress.cat, collector.com.tr, El Periódico Barcelona.
