Lisbon Gloria funicular crash reason: What is iconic funicular railway? 15 dead as 'never seen' tragedy strikes Portugal capital

A famed Lisbon funicular derailed Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than a dozen in one of the Portuguese capital's most popular tourist spots, officials and media said. All of the victims have been recovered from the wreckage, said Tiago Augusto, an official with the Inem emergency services, adding that the victims include foreigners. No other details on the identity of the victims were immediately available. Authorities declared Thursday a day of national mourning.

The yellow Gloria funicular, one of the capital's best-known symbols, overturned at 6:15 local time (1715 GMT) near Liberty Avenue. "A tragedy that our city has never seen," Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas said, moments before rescuers confirmed a toll of 15 dead and 18 injured in the accident.

Lisbon Funicular Crash


Images from the scene showed the yellow funicular car, which can hold around 40 passengers overturned on a steep street, with scores of firefighters and medical personnel at the scene.

The SIC television channel quoted a person as saying that the funicular hit a building as it sped down the steep street "at full speed." "It hit a building with brutal force and collapsed like a cardboard box; it had no brakes," the woman said.

Lisbon's three funicular cars are popular with tourists and locals alike to get up and down Lisbon's steep streets. The yellow funicular is a ubiquitous image on souvenirs in the city's gift shops.

What is Lisbon Gloria Funicular?

The Gloria Funicular is the city's most famous. It first entered into service in 1885, was hooked up to electricity in 1915 and undergoes general maintenance every four years, according to the website of Portugal's national monuments.

"A tragic accident involving the Gloria funicular caused the irreparable loss of human life, which has brought grief to their families and dismay to the country," said a statement from the office of Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.

FAQs

Q1. What is Lisbon Gloria Funicular?
A1. Gloria Funicular is the city's most famous. It first entered into service in 1885, was hooked up to electricity in 1915 and undergoes general maintenance every four years, according to the website of Portugal's national monuments.

Q2. What has happened in Lisbon?
A2. Images from the scene showed the yellow funicular car, which can hold around 40 passengers overturned on a steep street, with scores of firefighters and medical personnel at the scene. The SIC television channel quoted a person as saying that the funicular hit a building as it sped down the steep street "at full speed." "It hit a building with brutal force and collapsed like a cardboard box; it had no brakes," the woman said.