Just after 18:00 on Wednesday, a carriage on Lisbon's famous Glória funicular careened down a steep cobblestone street, crashing violently into a building. Eyewitness Helen Chow described the scene, stating the carriage lost control and descended at full speed, leading to a catastrophic collision.
According to Chow, the crash sounded like a bomb, followed by eerie silence and a cloud of pitch-black smoke that eventually cleared to reveal the aftermath of the disaster. In shock, she added, It was awful. I am shaken. Eyewitness accounts indicate that this tragic event resulted in at least 16 fatalities and about 20 injuries, some of which are critical.
Video footage verified by the BBC showcases the aftermath with the crushed funicular against a building near Avenida da Liberdade, and frantic bystanders rushing towards the scene.
The Glória funicular, which has been operational for about 140 years, normally operates with two carriages attached to a cable, enabling one to travel downhill as the other ascends. Witness reports indicate that one carriage began to go backwards before the upper one sped down the hill and struck the building.
Witness Rasha Abdo recalled being in the lower carriage when it accelerated suddenly, stating, there were no brakes... it was going down fast, with acceleration, like there was no control. Other witnesses described moments of sheer terror, with one passenger believing they were about to meet their end.
Local residents and tourists swept into action to rescue those trapped in the wreckage. For Marianna Figueiredo, who rushed to aid in the rescue, the scene displayed a harrowing level of tragedy—initially seeing only silence before discovering victims among the debris.
In a moment of serendipity, some tourists told the BBC they had considered taking the funicular just moments before the incident occurred. One American traveler, Eric Packer, described the horror of hearing the crash shortly after deciding to walk instead.
The situation remains under investigation as authorities piece together the circumstances leading up to this spate of sorrow. For many, it is a somber reminder of the fragility of life and the profound impact such accidents can have on a community.
