After a lorry carrying ammunition overturned on the A-4002 at Granada the Junta de Andalucía on 13 October 2026, the Preemergencia phase of the emergency plan for hazardous goods transport was activated. The Minister for the Presidency and the Interior Antonio Sanz ordered the measure at 15:07, after the lorry crashed at around 14:00 and some of its load of mortar shells fell to the ground. The road was completely closed and a safety perimeter was set up.
The emergency coordination centre alerted Guardia Civil (Tráfico), the bomb disposal unit TEDAX, the Policía Nacional, the Bomberos de Granada, the Grupo de Emergencias de Andalucía (GREA) and the Parque de Maquinaria. The authorities advised people to avoid the area, keep their distance and follow the instructions of the emergency services. Once safety measures had been completed, traffic was gradually allowed through again that afternoon.
According to the Junta de Andalucía, the consignment came from the Fábrica de Municiones de Granada; the accident took place near kilometre 4 of the A-4002. No confirmed reports of injuries were available by the last official update. The investigation into the cause of the accident and the securing of the load is the responsibility of the relevant security authorities.
Preemergencia (Situación operativa 0) is the lowest activation level under the Andalusian emergency framework, the Plan de Emergencia ante el Riesgo de Accidentes en el Transporte de Mercancías Peligrosas. It enables a rapid, regionally coordinated response to hazards when accidents involving dangerous goods may pose particular risks to the public and emergency crews. Involving specialist units such as TEDAX and GREA is in line with the required procedures when ammunition may be damaged or no longer properly secured.
Media reports from Europa Press and RTVE matched the key details of the official statement and said that the road closure was lifted after a controlled recovery operation. The sources reviewed did not publish specific details about the quantity of ammunition involved.
Assessment and outlook: The prompt activation of Preemergencia and the wide safety perimeter were consistent with the precautionary principle for hazardous goods. It remains unclear what organisational or technical changes the operator and transport logistics will make following the incident. In such situations, the authorities typically examine the vehicle’s condition, the route profile, how the load was secured and compliance with relevant regulations; no information on the findings was available by press time.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).