At least 15 people died and 18 were injured on Lisbon’s Gloria funicular railway car
Published by RawNews1st
The crash happened at around 18:15 local time (18:15 BST). Eighteen people have been injured and taken to hospital, authorities say, including one child.
Everyone trapped inside has been freed, but emergency workers and forensics staff are continuing to comb through the scene of the crash into the night.
We’ve not yet had official confirmation of what caused the crash. An eyewitness has told the Portuguese TV channel SIC that the funicular hit a building as it sped down the steep street “at full speed”, AFP news agency reports.
“It hit a building with brutal force and collapsed like a cardboard box; it had no brakes,” the woman said.
It is one of three funicular lines operated by the municipal public transport company Carris and is used by tourists as well as local residents.
Carris said in a statement that “all maintenance protocols have been carried out”, including monthly and weekly maintenance programs and daily inspections.
The Gloria line transports around 3 million people annually, according to the town hall.Its two cars, each capable of carrying around 40 people, are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable with traction provided by electric motors on the two cars.
Who was onboard at the time of the crash?published at 17:3317:33
The Gloria Funicular can carry up to 43 passengers and is extremely popular with tourists.
It is not known how many people were onboard at the time of the collision, however.
Portugal’s emergency medical service authority says at least 15 people have been been killed and 18 others injured.
It’s not clear if they were passengers or pedestrians.
