At least 17 people were killed and more than 20 others injured after one of Lisbon's iconic funicular cars derailed Wednesday evening, prompting Portugal to declare a day of national mourning and suspend the city's other streetcars for safety inspections.
The accident occurred around 6:15 p.m. local time on the Elevador da Glória, a funicular that carries millions of riders each year up a steep hill in central Lisbon. The vehicle left its tracks and crashed into a building, according to footage broadcast by local media.
Lisbon's civil protection chief, Margarida Castro Martins, confirmed the victims were all adults, though the injured included Portuguese nationals and visitors from Germany, Spain, Canada, Cape Verde, France, Italy, Morocco, South Korea and Switzerland. A brake operator employed by Carris, the municipal transport company, was among the dead.
Officials said three of the injured remained in serious condition, and two victims later died in hospital overnight, raising the toll from 15 to 17. A Lisbon city spokesperson said at least one child, aged three, was also among the injured.
Preliminary reports suggested a broken safety cable may have caused the derailment. Public prosecutors and Carris have launched investigations, while teams from the national forensics institute conducted postmortems through the night.
Witnesses described a scene of panic as the streetcar careened downhill. Teresa d'Avó told SIC television, "It hit the building with brutal force and fell apart like a cardboard box." Bruno Pereira told CNN Portugal, "The other tram - which counterbalances this one - arrived, completely out of control, crashing into the walls, people screaming."
Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas, who visited the crash site, declared three days of mourning. "This is a tragedy that has never happened before in our city," he told reporters. "Now is the time for action and help."
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's office called the crash a source of "grief to ... families and dismay to the country." President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said authorities would work to determine the cause.
Carris stated that "all maintenance protocols" had been followed, including daily inspections, and paid tribute to its late employee André Marques, calling him a "dedicated, kind and happy professional." The company also suspended operations on Lisbon's other funiculars - Lavra, Graça and Bica - pending safety checks.
Expressions of solidarity poured in from abroad. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was saddened by the "terrible accident" and sent "love and solidarity to the families of the victims." Italy's foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said he had spoken with his Portuguese counterpart to express his condolences. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen added, "My condolences to the families of the victims."
