Traffic on the Sofia-Burgas railway line has come to a halt due to cable theft, Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) announced. A section of the contact network between Kazichene and Musachevo stations was damaged after electrical wires were stolen, causing interruptions and delays for trains operating in this area.

BDZ reported that, in addition to the contact network failure, a fire broke out near the railway line, further complicating train movements. As a result, express train No. 3601, scheduled from Sofia to Burgas, is being rerouted via Plovdiv after Karlovo station, while fast train No. 3621 is also diverted through Plovdiv, bypassing Pirdop and Klisura stations.

Other affected trains include passenger train No. 30121, which is rerouted through Sofia North, Iliyantsi, and Stolnik stations, avoiding the section between Poduyane and Musachevo. Passenger train No. 30112 and fast train No. 3620 both have cancellations on the Sofia North to Sofia stretch. Fast train No. 3623 will run a detour via Elin Pelin, Ihtiman, Kostenets, Septemvri, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, and Karlovo, missing several stations on the direct route.

The National Railways revealed that the sabotage occurred near the Ravno Pole stop when a contact wire was cut. The fallen contact wire sparked a fire in the dry grass due to a short circuit. Emergency services quickly responded, and the State Enterprise NRIC teams extinguished the blaze using their own resources.

Currently, investigators continue to work at the scene, and railway infrastructure crews are preparing to assess and repair the damage. Until the repairs are complete, trains will operate on alternate routes to minimize disruption.

The Railway Infrastructure Company urged scrap material collectors and recyclers not to purchase stolen railway cables and to report any suspicious attempts to transport such materials to the authorities. They stressed that cable theft poses a serious threat to train safety and causes substantial financial harm while endangering passengers and staff.

The company extended its thanks to all emergency responders and personnel who acted professionally and promptly to control the fire and manage the situation.