Bomb Threat Disrupts Buenos Aires Train Line
Commuters faced major delays as authorities investigated a threat at Retiro station.
Service on the Mitre train line in Buenos Aires was temporarily suspended after a bomb threat at the Retiro station. Normal operations resumed after a two-hour disruption, impacting thousands of commuters during the morning rush.
The Threat and Initial Response
A phone call, received by an employee at a bakery inside the Bartolomé Mitre station, reported a bomb threat. According to police sources speaking to Infobae, the call prompted an immediate response, with authorities evacuating the station and deploying a bomb squad.
The audio of the 911 call reveals the caller’s uncertainty: “The employees received a call that there is a bomb threat… I don’t know if it’s real.”
However, bakery employees told Radio Mitre they had not received any threat.
The security protocols were activated, involving city police and the Argentine Federal Police’s Explosives Brigade. Despite the precautions, a thorough search of the station found no explosives.
Commuter Chaos and Frustration
The service suspension affected all three branches of the Mitre line—Retiro to Tigre, José León Suárez, and Bartolomé Mitre—creating significant disruptions. Passengers expressed frustration with the lack of information and the resulting delays.
“We don’t know anything, I’m waiting from 7.30,”
one woman told TN while outside the station. Another commuter mentioned to TV chronicle, “I went to take collective 130, but there are ten blocks of tail.”
Increased crowding at bus stops compounded the problem. One commuter waiting for the 130 bus lamented, “I am no longer surprised… the only ones who pay the broken dishes is always the worker.”
Rising Trend of Threats
This incident follows a pattern of recent bomb threats targeting train lines in the Buenos Aires area. Argentina’s rail system has faced increasing challenges. In fact, there were 75 bomb threats made against the country’s rail lines in 2024 alone (Ministerio de Transporte 2024).
Last month, a similar threat shut down the Roca line, with the caller claiming to have planted 17 devices at Constitución, Lanús, Lomas de Zamora, and Temperley stations. That caller, identifying himself as “Brian” from the “labor movement,” alluded to surpassing the 2012 Once train crash in terms of potential damage. “The tragedy of eleven was going to be a bean,”
he stated.
Another threat targeted the Roca line, specifically the José Mármol and Dante Ardigó stations, with the caller demanding the release of Cristina Kirchner: “Both platforms will explode if they do not release Cristina.”
This resulted in three-hour service disruptions as trains bypassed the affected stations.
While investigations continue into the source and veracity of these threats, the repeated disruptions highlight the vulnerability of Buenos Aires’ rail system and the significant impact on daily commuters.
