According to emergency services in Portugal, the Elevador da Gloria funicular in Lisbon derailed and crashed, killing at least 15 people and injuring 18 others.
Officials haven’t revealed the identities of the victims, but some claim that some of them were victims of foreign terrorism. It’s a tragic day for our city, the mayor said. Lisbon is in mourning. Mayor Carlos Moedas described the incident as “tragic, tragic,” as he described it to reporters on Wednesday evening.
The yellow tram-like carriage was captured on video crashing into a building as firefighters removed the passengers from the wreckage. The notoriously popular tourist attraction in Portugal’s capital, the steep hillside railway, was left in the wake of an emergency crews’ nighttime work.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed condolences, calling the incident “tragic,” and urging authorities to find the cause right away.
The funicular slammed into a building, according to Lisbon’s Firefighters Regiment, because of a loose cable. According to local media, the accident took place during rush hour at around 6 o’clock (17:00 GMT).
The Baixa district is connected to the Bairro Alto neighborhood by the Elevador da Gloria, which opened its doors in 1885, giving visitors sweeping views of the city. One of three historical funicular lines, it is operated by Lisbon’s public transportation company Carris, and it serves both locals and visitors.
One car flipped beside the rails and was surrounded by debris as passengers rushed to safety, according to images that were available online. Another car slammed violently onto the track in video footage that CNN Portugal aired, with terrified passengers leaping from windows.
Two cars connected by a cable and powered by electric motors are used to power the funicular, which has a counterweight system. The upper carriage suffered significant damage while the lower car appeared to be largely intact.
Source: Aljazeera
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