At least fifteen dead after Lisbon’s historic funicular derails

At least 15 people have been killed and 18 others injured after Lisbon’s famous Gloria funicular derailed and crashed, emergency services said.

Portugal’s emergency medical service authority said that five of those injured were in a serious condition. The remaining thirteen, including a child, sustained minor injuries.

Several people were earlier said to have been trapped at the scene. They have all since been freed, authorities said.

Footage shared widely on social media showed the yellow tram-like carriage overturned and almost entirely destroyed. People could be seen fleeing the area on foot as what appears to be smoke filled the air.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has issued a statement expressing his “sympathy and solidarity with the families affected by this tragedy”.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also sent her condolences to the families of the victims.

It is unclear how many people were on board at the time of the cable railway crash, which occurred near the Avenida da Liberdade around 18:05 on Wednesday evening.

It is not known whether those killed are Portuguese nationals or foreigners.

Portuguese newspaper Observador reported that a cable came loose along the railway’s route, causing it to lose control and collide with a nearby building.

Sixty-two emergency service personnel and 22 vehicles are at the scene, according to the civil protection website.

The Gloria funicular is one of the most famous sights and tourist attractions in Lisbon. It was opened in 1885 and electrified three decades later.

The iconic yellow vehicles are a crucial part of a city as hilly as Lisbon. They snake their way up many of the cobbled streets.

This particular one that crashed travels some 275m (900ft) from Restauradores, a square in the middle of Lisbon, up to the picturesque, cobbled streets of an area called Bairro Alto – or high neighbourhood – taking just three minutes to make the journey.

It, and the other funiculars, are used by Lisbon residents but they are also extremely popular with tourists – and at the end of the summer, the Portuguese capital is very busy indeed.

The Lisbon authorities say it is too early to determine the cause of this incident – and how many people were caught up in it.