A tragic funicular derailment in Lisbon has claimed the lives of 15 people, with another 18 injured, five seriously, according to multiple media reports. The incident, involving the 140-year-old Gloria funicular, occurred around 6 pm local time on Wednesday, near the Avenida da Liberdade during rush hour.
Foreign nationals were among the fatalities, though their identities and nationalities have not been confirmed. Lisbon’s mayor, Carlos Moedas, visited the hospital and described it as a “tragic moment for the city,” adding, “It’s a tragic day for our city. … Lisbon is in mourning. It is a tragic, tragic incident.” Portugal’s government has declared a day of national mourning for Thursday.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa conveyed his “sympathy and solidarity with the families affected by this tragedy,” and urged authorities to swiftly determine the cause. Public prosecutors have launched an investigation into the disaster, with the company that runs the funicular, the national transport safety authority, and the criminal police all commencing their own inquiries.
Emergency crews worked into the night to clear debris and several people had to be freed after being trapped.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the braking system on the cable-hauled funicular failed, sending it “hurtling down the steep street and into a building,” the BBC reported. One witness told Portuguese newspaper Observador the vehicle was “out of control, without brakes,” while another informed Portuguese TV channel SIC that it hit a building “at full speed” and “collapsed like a cardboard box.”
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Al Jazeera and the Guardian also reported eyewitnesses describing the streetcar careening down the hill, apparently out of control, with one telling the Guardian that “It hit the building with brutal force and fell apart like a cardboard box.”
Lisbon authorities have stated it is too early to determine the cause, though Observador reported that a cable came loose and local firefighters also attributed the loss of control to a loose cable.
The Elevador da Gloria, opened in 1885 and later electrified, is one of Lisbon’s most famous sights and a major tourist attraction. It connects the Baixa district with the Bairro Alto neighbourhood, travelling some 275m (900ft) from Restauradores Square.
The funicular system is operated by Lisbon’s public transport company Carris, which stated that “all maintenance protocols have been carried out,” including daily, weekly, and monthly checks, as well as major four-yearly and interim biennial maintenance.
Lisbon’s city council has suspended operations of other streetcars and ordered immediate inspections.
