The Glória funicular is only 265 meters long, but is appreciated by both residents and tourists as a smooth and picturesque way to pass one of the steepest hills in central Lisbon.
However, at around 7 pm on Wednesday, something went terribly wrong. One of the cars lost control, ran down towards Restauradores Square, derailed and was completely destroyed when it plowed into the houses in the old quarters.
16 people on board have been found dead, announces Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and Mayor Carlos Moedas, according to media on the scene. CNN Portugal reports on Thursday evening that 23 people were injured in the accident, and of these, six people are receiving intensive care.
Cable may have burst
The wreckage was so badly damaged that the police and rescue services had to work far into the night before they were sure that all the dead had been recovered.
Firefighters on the scene have two theories about the cause of the accident, according to Portuguese media. On the one hand, one of the cables that pulls and holds the cars appears to have burst, and on the other hand, the brakes may have failed.
Public transport company Carris states that the funiculars have been maintained as they should be. "Maintenance every month and every week, as well as daily inspections, is carried out carefully", according to a statement.
The authority GPIAAF, which is responsible for the prevention and investigation of accidents in civil aviation and rail, announces that a preliminary accident report will be ready "within 45 days”.
Three days of mourning
As a precaution, traffic has been suspended on all funiculars in central Lisbon until further notice. Among the classics from the end of the 19th century are, in addition to Glória, also Lavra and Bica. On Thursday, both of these and the newly built one in Graça underwent extra safety checks.
The capital has declared three days of mourning, while the Portuguese government announced that Thursday is a national day of mourning.
According to Portuguese media, 11 of the 16 dead are foreign nationals. But the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs "has no knowledge at present of injured or deceased Swedes", the press service writes to TT.
