Tragedy broke out in Lisbon after a tram on the famed Lisbon Gloria Funicular derailed and crashed into a building. The catastrophic crash left at least 16 people killed and around 21 more injured
Three Brits have tragically been confirmed dead following the horror tram crash in Lisbon this week.
The catastrophic crash happened at Lisbon’s Gloria Funicular, one of the Portuguese capital’s most famous attractions, on Wednesday, 3 September at around 6pm. Tragically, at least 16 people have been killed, and at least 21 have been reported injured after the famous tram derailed.
The railway operates two trams that run parallel to each other, one ascending the hill while the other descends on a road with a bend. This historic funicular, which opened in 1885, can carry up to 43 passengers and transports around three million people annually, including both tourists and locals.
READ MORE: Lisbon tram crash: Three Brits among the dead after horror smash kills 16READ MORE: Lisbon funicular passenger told wife ‘we’re all going to die’ as tram derailed
What happened?
On Wednesday, September 3, at about 6pm, Lisbon’s famous Gloria Funicular tram derailed and went hurtling down one of the city’s hills. It smashed into a nearby building and was devastatingly left in pieces.
Seconds after the impact, locals are said to have sprinted through clouds of dust toward the crumpled wreckage, hoping to pull survivors from the debris. Children were reportedly heard screaming moments after the crash as one witness yelled, “There are kids under the tram”.
Witness Teresa d’Avo told Portuguese TV channel SIC: “It crashed into a building with brutal force and fell apart like a cardboard box. It crashed with tremendous force. It didn’t have any kind of brakes.”
Another witness told respected Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha: “The lower lift was descending slowly, as usual, but about a metre and a half from the bottom, its brakes went and that’s what alerted us, because then it hit the pavement very hard and the people inside started screaming.”
When he realised another lift was heading towards them from above “completely out of control”, he added: “It wasn’t travelling at normal speed at all, and we only had time to turn around and start running, because we didn’t know if it was going to hit the lift below.
“The biggest concern was that it would end up on the road leading to Rossio Square.”
According to Portugal’s civil protection website, 62 emergency service workers and 22 vehicles were at the scene of the crash.
Where did the accident happen?
The incident occurred near the Avenida da Liberdade at the Gloria Funicular railway line – a popular tourist spot and one of three of its kind in Lisbon.
This historic line, which opened its doors in 1885 as the city’s second funicular, links the lower part of Lisbon to its Bairro Alto, known as the “high neighbourhood”, specifically from Praça dos Restauradores to the São Pedro de Alcantara viewpoint. The trip lasts just three minutes, yet it ranks among the city’s most famous journeys.
Despite being electrified only in 1915, it has managed to retain its original characteristics.
How many victims are there?
Authorities have confirmed that at least 16 individuals tragically lost their lives, and 21 people are reported to have suffered injuries in the incident. However, it remains uncertain whether these casualties were passengers or pedestrians.
Three British nationals were confirmed to have died, Portuguese police confirmed. Nationals from Portugal, Spain, South Korea, Switzerland, Ukraine, Canada, France and the US are also believed to be among the dead.
All but one of the victims died at the scene, as the other later died in hospital.
A three-year-old from Germany is among those who suffered injuries in the horror collision, but his mum is said to be in a serious condition in an intensive care unit at a local hospital. On Thursday, the Civil Protection Agency confirmed that only adults are among the dead, but all the identities have yet to be confirmed.
The Gloria Funicular has a capacity of 43 passengers, but it’s unclear how many people were onboard at the time of the crash.
What is the cause of the accident?
The Portuguese public prosecutor’s office has initiated an investigation, but the cause of the fatal crash is yet to be confirmed. The attorney general’s office said: “As is customary in these types of situations, and as required by law, the public prosecutor’s office will open an investigation.”
However, early reports from the disaster suggest that the funicular may have come loose before the crash.