A powerful footnote to introduce the incident.
The Elevador da Glória derailed around 6:15 PM local time on 3 September 2025
The carriage crashed into a building while descending a steep slope.
15 people were killed and 18 others injured, including a child and five critically wounded
Several injured were foreign nationals
A loose or snapped cable appears to have caused the funicular to lose control
Some experts suggest that emergency brakes may have failed after the cable failure
Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise, and the carriage seemed to have “no brakes” as it accelerated out of control
One described it hitting the building with “brutal force” and “collapsing like a cardboard box”
Emergency crews, including 62 rescuers and 22 emergency vehicles, responded swiftly
All victims were recovered from the wreckage within about two hours
The funicular runs between Lisbons’s Restauradores Square and the Bairro Alto neighborhood
It’s one of the city’s most visited landmarks, operating since 1885 and designated a national monument
The Portuguese government declared a day of national mourning, while Lisbon observed three days of mourning
Condolences came from President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Mayor Carlos Moedas, who called it “a tragedy the city has never seen”
A formal investigation has been launched by prosecutors and authorities, and other streetcar operations have been suspended pending safety inspections
Carris, the operator, stated that all regular maintenance protocols and daily inspections had been followed
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