Accident in Central Lisbon
António Azevedo was in central Lisbon on Wednesday evening, waiting to take tourists for rides in his tuk-tuk when he heard sounds resembling numerous glass containers breaking inside rubbish trucks.
Emergency Response
Looking around Restauradores Square, Azevedo saw no trucks but noticed smoke rising from the lower station of the Elevador da Glória funicular railway, located about 100 meters away. He and other local business owners rushed to find that a Glória tram had derailed and collided with a building along Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon’s main thoroughfare.
Desperate Efforts to Help
Feeling shocked and disoriented amidst the chaos of screams and cries, Azevedo and others started picking up debris, uncertain whether they should attempt to lift parts of the tram in search of potential survivors beneath the wreckage.
The Scene of Tragedy
A companion rescuer handed Azevedo a bleeding young boy, who was crying for his father. Shortly after, police and firefighters arrived, instructing not to touch or move anything further.
Grief and Mourning
“I remember looking around – the cries turned to a haunting silence,” recounted Azevedo. “There was a pile of bodies, motionless; some were severely injured. I had never witnessed such horror.” By Thursday morning, the site of the tragedy, which claimed 16 lives and left 21 injured, had become a memorial adorned with flowers and candles as the Portuguese government declared a day of mourning.
Victims of Various Nationalities
The victims of the incident reflected its international scope. Alongside Portuguese nationals, victims included individuals from Canada, Cape Verde, France, Germany, Italy, Morocco, South Korea, Spain, and Switzerland. Prosecutors confirmed that those who lost their lives included five Portuguese, two South Koreans, and one Swiss citizen.
Calls for Increased Safety Measures
A group of locals speculated on the possible causes of the tragedy. Former worker Argentina Pereira, now 80, pointed out that the funicular had been under increasing strain as Lisbon emerged as a major tourist destination over the last decade. Azevedo emphasized the need for stringent safety checks on aging infrastructure, while Carris, the transport company managing the service, stated that all “maintenance protocols” had been followed. Despite this, some tourists expressed concerns about the funicular’s safety.
