Tragic Accident in Portugal: At least 15 fatalities reported following the derailment of Lisbon's iconic Gloria funicular, marking one of the country's worst disasters in 24 years.
In the heart of Lisbon, Portugal, a tragic incident occurred on Wednesday evening, as the historic Gloria funicular, a national monument that inaugurated in 1885, derailed and crashed. The accident resulted in 15 fatalities and 18 injuries, marking the worst in Lisbon's recent history.
The electric streetcar, known as Elevador da Gloria, crashed into a building where the road bends. Carris, the company that operates the streetcar, stated that scheduled maintenance had been carried out. An investigation into the causes of the accident will begin once the rescue operation is over.
Emergency officials reported that all victims were pulled out of the wreckage in just over two hours. Portugal's National Institute for Medical Emergencies reported that five of the injured were in serious condition, and a child was among the injured. SITRA, a trade union, confirmed that one of its members died in the accident.
The crash occurred at the start of the evening rush hour, around 6 p.m. Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas stated that the city was in mourning. He expressed his deepest condolences to the victims and their families. Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also offered their condolences.
In response to the incident, Lisbon's City Council has suspended operations of other streetcars in the city and ordered immediate inspections. The yellow-and-white streetcar, known for its iconic appearance, has been a staple of Lisbon's public transport system for over a century.
Teresa d'Avó́, a witness to the accident, described the crash as "hitting the building with brutal force and falling apart like a cardboard box." The aftermath of the accident has left the city in shock, with many questioning the safety of the city's public transport system.
Carris, the operator of the Gloria funicular, offered its deepest condolences to the victims and their families and promised to find the causes of the accident. Portugal's government announced that a day of national mourning would be observed on Thursday.
As the city grapples with the aftermath of this tragic incident, the focus shifts to ensuring the safety of Lisbon's public transport system and providing support to the affected families and communities. The investigation into the causes of the accident will be crucial in understanding what led to this tragic event and preventing similar incidents in the future.
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