At least 15 people died on Wednesday in Lisbon after the emblematic Portuguese funicular „Gloria” derailed, according to a toll cited by the local press.
So far, 15 people have died in the Gloria funicular accident. Another 18 people were injured, five seriously and 13 lightly, including a child, emergency services announced, according to BBC.
Footage filmed at the scene shows the funicular, similar to a tram and very popular among tourists, transporting people up a hill in the Portuguese capital, completely destroyed.
„What we can say at this moment is that there are multiple victims,” said Lisbon fire chief Paulo Sousa to Reuters.
### What is known about the cause of the accident
The Portuguese newspaper Observador wrote that **a cable detached along the railway track, causing it to become unbalanced and collide with a nearby building**.
Its two carriages are attached at opposite ends of a transport cable, with traction provided by electric motors on the two carriages. It appears that the end car was not damaged, but according to CNN Portugal, passengers had to jump out of windows when the incident occurred.
### How many passengers were on the funicular
According to BBC, it seems that there were 43 people on board at the time of the accident, which occurred near Avenida da Liberdade around 18:05 local time (20:05 Romania time).
**Emergency services say they cannot confirm the nationalities of the victims, but there are foreigners killed in the accident**. They also confirmed that among the deceased are some Portuguese citizens.
**The funicular was under maintenance between August 26 and September 30, 2024**, as specified by Observador.
62 emergency service members and 22 vehicles are intervening at the scene, as communicated by Civil Protection.
The Homicide Brigade of the Judicial Police was called to investigate the cause of the accident, as reported by CNN.
The Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the fatal accident, and the causes of the derailment are being investigated.
### Message from Ursula von der Leyen
Lisbon is in mourning, Mayor Carlos Moedas conveyed in a post on X, calling the incident a tragic one for the city.
Furthermore, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa lamented the accident in a statement and expressed hope that authorities will soon determine the causes of the accident.
And European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: „I learned with sadness about the derailment of the famous ‘Elevador da Glória.’ My condolences to the families of the victims.”
### A symbol of Lisbon
The funicular is operated by the municipal public transport company Carris.
The installation was inaugurated in 1885 and electrified three years later. It connects the center of Lisbon, near Restauradores Square, to Bairro Alto (Upper District), renowned for its vibrant nightlife.
The Gloria funicular is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Lisbon. This mode of transportation is an essential part of a city with such rugged terrain as Lisbon. They wind their way through many of the cobbled streets of the Portuguese capital. The derailed funicular completed its journey in just three minutes.