Irish man dies in Madrid after being hit during early morning tragedy

An Irish man has died in Madrid after being struck by a taxi in the early hours of Sunday morning, with Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs now assisting his family following the tragedy in the Spanish capital.

A taxi hit him just after 2am on Ronda de Toledo

A 52-year-old Irish man has died in Madrid after being hit by a taxi in the early hours of Sunday October 4. The crash happened at around 2.20am on Ronda de Toledo, in the Arganzuela district just south of the city centre. Police officers who arrived first found him in cardiac arrest and began resuscitating him, with SAMUR (Madrid’s emergency medical service) then taking him to Hospital Clínico San Carlos. 

However, despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. Madrid’s emergency services said paramedics had been called to help a 52-year-old man in cardiac arrest after he was hit by a taxi.

What Spanish police have said so far

Witnesses told police the man crossed the road away from a pedestrian crossing, according to Gaceta del Taxi, and the Municipal Police report reportedly puts the crash down to that. The taxi had two passengers on board at the time. The driver took a breathalyser test, which came back negative, and was identified at the scene but wasn’t arrested. Police are now sending their findings to a local court, which will review the case. 

Nothing is confirmed about where he lived

So far there’s been no official confirmation of whether the man lived in Madrid or was visiting the city. The circumstances of the crash are still being pieced together, and the full picture is likely to emerge only once the court has seen the police report.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs is supporting his family

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs said it’s aware of the case and is providing consular assistance (practical support from embassy staff) to his family. That kind of help is a big part of the department’s work. Its latest figures show 444 deaths abroad in 2025, the highest number in the statistics it publishes, within 1,981 consular cases overall. 

Irish citizens in Spain who need urgent help can contact the Irish Embassy in Madrid or the department’s Consular Assistance Unit on +353 1 408 2527.

So for now the family are waiting on the court. Until it has reviewed the police report, the full circumstances of the crash won’t be confirmed.