A TRAIN has smashed into the end of a track at a busy train station in Barcelona, injuring at least 40 people.

The front of the 7.15am train was badly damaged after it smashed into a buffer at Estacion de Francia as it arrived from the village of San Vicente Calders around 50 miles away.

19 Five of the victims have been seriously injured, reports Spanish media Credit: AFP or licensors

19 A man is taken away by paramedics in the wake of the smash Credit: AFP or licensors

19 Around 40 people required medical attention Credit: EPA

One of the wounded is said to be in a serious condition.

Reports said the train did not brake when entering the station - and passengers said they initially feared a bomb or an earthquake.

Pictures from the scene show paramedics treating injured commuters on the platform.

Witnesses said a block of metal thought to form part of the buffer had ended up more than six feet inside the front carriage.

Local politician Josep Rull said the accident could easily have been a major tragedy as casualties admitted they had initially feared a terror attack or an earthquake.

He said: “The train was already braking when it crashed. If not, we would be speaking about a much more serious accident.”

19 The train was pictured crushed up against the buffer at the end of the platform Credit: EPA

19 A local politician said the accident could have been far worse Credit: AFP or licensors

19 A victim is treated on the platform. A total of 18 people were taken to hospital Credit: AP:Associated Press

19 Some passengers thought it was a bomb at first Credit: AFP or licensors

19 It is not known if the accident was driver error or a mechanical failure Credit: AFP or licensors

One of the casualties likened the incident to an earthquake and claimed some people initially mistook the smash for a bomb, telling a local paper: “The moment of the impact felt like an earthquake.

“People were falling over and colliding with each other. Many fell to the ground because there were people standing up.

"I saw many people with cuts to their head and faces.”

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The witness, known only as Lidia, added: “Many people were frightened. Some people thought at first it was a bomb.”

Barcelona’s mayoress Ada Colau attended the crash scene along with Catalunya president Carles Puigdemont.

She tweeted afterwards: “A hug for all the injured and wishing them a speedy recovery.”

The train driver was said to be in a state of shock. He told officials that he hit the buffer at low speed.

It was not immediately clear if the crash was the result of human error or mechanical failure.

Firefighters rushed to the scene along with police and up to six ambulances.

At least 18 of the injured need hospital attention, emergency services said.

19 The impact caused the windows in this carriage to shatter Credit: AFP or licensors

19 The train slammed into the buffer at rush hour in Barcelona Credit: Twitter

19 Many passengers are believed to have been standing when the train hit Credit: @Maquinistilla

19 An investigation into the accident has been launched Credit: @Maquinistilla

19 The regional train was arriving at the busy Francia station from Sant Vicenc de Calders Credit: @Maquinistilla

19 An aerial view of the smash. It has been reported that the train didn't brake as it pulled into the station

52 ferits en xocar contra topall estació de França un tren de Rodalies. Hi ha 5 ferits greus pic.twitter.com/wg4h45yUQJ — Guillem Sànchez (@guillem_sm) July 28, 2017

19 The interior of the trains was covered in shattered glass Credit: @Maquinistilla

The area where the smash happened has been cordoned off.

There were no immediate reports of any fatalities. It is not yet known whether any Brits or Irish nationals are among the casualties.

A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are in touch with local authorities following a train crash in Barcelona.”

A spokeswoman for the civil protection services said: "No one was killed but there are 20 injured, we don't know how seriously."

The smash coincided with the start of a national rail strike.

Hundreds of trains were cancelled after trade union members promised to stop working between midnight and 11pm today.

19

19 There were scenes of chaos at the busy station Credit: espana-diario.es

19 Firefighters, cops and paramedics rushed to the scene Credit: espana-diario.es

19 The train station is the second busiest in the major Spanish city Credit: espana-diario.es

Most of the injured were travelling in the front carriage.

Many are believed to have standing up ready to leave the train when it crashed into the buffer, knocking them to the ground.

Minister of Public Works, Inigo de la Serna, has announced that he will travel to Barcelona to investigate the accident today.

In September four people were killed and more than a dozen injured after a passenger train derailed and collided with a power line in Spain.

The train was travelling from Vigo, via the Portuguese town of Valenca do Minho, to Porto when the accident occurred.

In 2013, 80 people were killed in Spain’s worst rail disaster in decades when a high-speed train went off the tracks and slammed into a wall near Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia.

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