The brush fire raging in Ponte Galeria persists. RFI announces the suspension of FL1 and Leonardo Express lines; disruptions affecting passengers travelling to and from the airport. Replacement bus services have been activated

A complex day for the western area of Rome, marked by a dual fire alert with significant repercussions on mobility, particularly affecting rail connections to Fiumicino Airport. Despite the disruptions, air traffic operations remained normal.

In the afternoon, around 2:50pm, a fire outbreak affected the roof of Terminal 1 of the "Leonardo da Vinci" Airport, specifically in the finger area of pier D. The flames, which according to initial reports involved a roofing membrane, were promptly extinguished. The joint intervention of the Fire Brigade, Aeroporti di Roma (AdR) personnel, and the Carabinieri quickly secured the area. Although a section of the boarding gates was temporarily evacuated as a precaution, airport authorities confirmed that flight operations were not interrupted, thanks to the swift activation of safety protocols.

Simultaneously, a larger and more persistent brush fire broke out in Ponte Galeria, in an uncultivated field near the railway line, between via della Muratella and the roundabout of via Eiffel. The flames, visible with a dense column of smoke, necessitated the immediate suspension of rail traffic on the Rome–Fiumicino Airport line.

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) confirmed that from 2:00pm onwards, services on lines FL1 and Leonardo Express were interrupted on the section between Ponte Galeria and the airport. This caused unavoidable delays, restrictions, and cancellations for trains, resulting in significant inconvenience for passengers travelling to or departing from the airport. To mitigate the situation, substitute bus services were deployed.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the causes of both fires. While the incident at the terminal was contained and managed swiftly, the fire at Ponte Galeria continues to occupy the rescuers, highlighting the critical challenges that environmental events can pose to vital infrastructure.