At around 18:05 local time on September 3, one of Lisbon’s historic Glória funicular trams derailed and crashed into a building, killing sixteen people and injuring more than twenty.
At a Glance
- The Ascensor da Glória derailed on September 3 during evening rush hour, resulting in 16 deaths and 23 injuries.
- A suspected structural cable failure triggered the tram’s uncontrolled descent.
- Authorities declared a national day of mourning; service on all city funiculars was suspended pending safety checks.
- Investigations are underway by the GPIAAF, Portugal’s prosecutor’s office, the operator Carris, unions, and judicial authorities.
A Catastrophic Descent
On the evening of September 3, 2025 at approximately 18:05 WEST, one of the cars of Lisbon’s Glória funicular descended out of control and derailed, crashing into a building at the base of the steep 275-meter incline. The accident occurred during rush hour and involved over 40 passengers aboard. Sixteen people lost their lives—five deaths occurred on site, with an additional person dying overnight—and twenty-three were injured, including a three-year-old child and several foreign tourists. Five of the injured were in critical condition.
Watch now: Video shows emergency workers at Lisbon funicular crash site
National Impact and Response
In response to the tragedy, Portugal declared a day of national mourning, while the Lisbon City Council ordered a three-day municipal mourning period. The operator Carris suspended operations on all funicular lines, including the Glória, Bica, Lavra, Santa Justa, and Graça, pending thorough inspections. The GPIAAF (Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Accidents in Civil Aviation and Rail), the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Police Judicial authorities, and unions have launched coordinated investigations. Preliminary findings are expected in the coming days.
Why It Happened—and Who Was Affected
The early consensus points toward structural failure—a snapped safety cable—that caused the tram to lose control and derail. Unions had previously warned about cable tension and maintenance issues, while Carris and its contractor MAIN insisted all protocols had been followed, including daily and weekly checks as well as a maintenance overhaul last performed between late August and September 2024.
The victims included both Portuguese nationals and a dozen or more foreigners. Among the dead were citizens from the UK, South Korea, Canada, France, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United States, and Germany. Authorities anticipate releasing a full police report within 45 days, alongside preliminary technical findings.
Sources
Wikipedia (Ascensor da Glória derailment)
