Lisbon funicular crash latest: At least 15 dead after iconic Gloria cable car derails in tourist hotspot – UK Times

Lisbon’s City Council has suspended operations of other streetcars in the city and ordered immediate inspections after a famed streetcar derailed and crashed, killing 15 people.

The yellow-and-white streetcar, known as Elevador da Gloria, which goes up and down a steep downtown hill, was lying on its side on the narrow road that it travels on, its sides and top crumpled.

It appeared to have crashed into a building where the road bends, leaving parts of the mostly metal vehicle crushed.

The electric streetcar is one of Lisbon’s big tourist attractions – it can carry about 40 passengers up through the narrow steep streets.

But it’s not yet known how many people were onboard at the time of the collision.

Portugal’s emergency medical service authority said at least 15 people have been been killed and 18 others injured.

However, it’s not clear if those injured were passengers or pedestrians.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X that he was “appalled by the terrible accident” and offered his solidarity with the families of the victims.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known. It reportedly occurred at the start of the evening during rush hour, around 6pm.

Emergency officials said all victims were pulled out of the wreckage in just over two hours.

An investigation into the causes will begin once the rescue operation is over, the government said.

Out of the 15 people who have died, authorities have said some are foreign nationals, without giving a figure.

The Gloria funicular railway is one of three funicular lines that are used by tourists, as well as local residents.

A spokesperson for Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it was in touch with the local authorities and stood by “to provide consular assistance if there are any affected British nationals”.

Local media are already carrying reports on how the tragic crash might have happened.

As we’ve reported, one of the cars, also known as elevators, appeared to have jolted and hit a pavement, before the other car came down the line and crashed, killing at least 15 people.

Fernando Nunes da Silva, a former Lisbon City Council member and engineering specialist, told SIC Notícias: “It’s most likely that the traction cable broke and when that cable broke the brakes didn’t work.”

He added: “The descending elevator gained momentum and continued at great speed.”

Following the crash earlier this evening, we’re now hearing from some of the witnesses, who have been speaking to local media.

One person told Correio de Manha that she heard a “huge bang”, before looking around and seeing “the tram completely destroyed due to the impact with the building, some dust rising, and many people screaming”.

Another person who works nearby said he saw one of the cars hit the pavement, before spotting the other car “completely out of control”.

“It wasn’t going at all at normal speed, and we only had time to turn around and start running, because we didn’t know if it would hit the elevator [car] below.”

Authorities have not identified the 15 victims or disclosed their nationalities, but have said some foreign nationals are among the dead.

Following this evening’s funicular crash, in which at least 15 people have died, the government has declared a day of national mourning on Thursday.

A statement approved by the Council of Ministers said: “A tragic accident involving the Ascensor da Glória, in the municipality of Lisbon, on September 3, 2025, caused the irreparable loss of human lives, which left their families in mourning and the country in shock.

“The government has decided to declare a day of national mourning as an expression of the Portuguese people’s condolences and solidarity. Therefore: national mourning is declared on September 4, 2025,”