According to local media, a cable came loose and caused the funicular to go off the rails and crash into a building.
People, children included, could reportedly be heard crying as they emerged from a thick cloud of dust after the funicular hit the building on Rua da Gloria, next to the busy Rossio station in downtown Lisbon.
A witness speaking to Portuguese media said the funicular travelled at full speed and hit the building “at full force”, collapsing “like a cardbox box”.
Carris, the transport company responsible for managing and maintaining Elevador da Glória, has launched its own investigation into the incident and stated that “monthly, weekly and daily inspection maintenance programmes have been scrupulously followed”.
However, one union representing Carris employees has reportedly expressed concerns that not enough maintenance has been carried out.
The last general maintenance was carried out in 2022 with interim repairs reportedly undertaken in 2024.
“The city of Lisbon is in mourning,” mayor Carlos Moedas told media, calling it an “unprecedented tragedy”.
The Gloria funicular is one of the most emblematic symbols of Lisbon. It was built in 1885 and goes up one of Lisbon’s many steep hills, travelling 275m to connect Restauradores to Bairro Alto.
Gloria Funicular is the most used funicular in the city and transports more than three million people annually. It was classified as a National Monument on February 2002.
A National Day of Mourning has been declared in Portugal for tomorrow.
This is a developing story. More to come.
Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.
