The only night-time bull run of the fiestas in San Sebastián de los Reyes left 14 people injured. According to the town council and Civil Protection (Protección Civil), all suffered bruises from falls and collisions; the most serious injury was an elbow fracture. Around 2,200 runners took part in the run.
The herd from the Ganadería Hermanos García Jiménez remained together throughout the route, led by cabestros. The Encierro covered 820 metres to the holding pens at Plaza La Tercera and, according to the town council, took less than two minutes. The route was fitted with additional lighting for the night-time format, with lanterns installed along the barriers. Security arrangements had been strengthened in anticipation of the large crowds. The councillor for fiestas and security, Carlos Bolarín, described the operation as having gone “very positively”.
Civil Protection chief Pedro Martínez clarified that none of the 14 reported injuries involved goring. Several people were treated at the on-site medical tent, while some were taken to hospitals for further observation. No specific figures for the number of transfers were available initially.
San Sebastián de los Reyes, north of Madrid, holds several daily encierros during the fiestas in honour of the Santísimo Cristo de los Remedios; the night-time run is considered a special feature of the programme. Safety and animal welfare are regularly the focus of municipal assessments and organisational changes. The town said it would review the operation and, if necessary, refine procedures.
The third encierro of the fiesta week, with animals from the Zalduendo bull-breeding farm, was scheduled for the following day. According to local media reports, this run involved around 1,600 participants and resulted in several minor injuries. These details are based on statements published by the town council on 25 and 26 August and reports from established media outlets.
The times, figures and named breeding farms reflect official communications and independent news reports. The assessment of organisational measures is based on statements from the relevant municipal authorities. No further medical updates on individual injured people were available at the time of writing.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).