Lisbon announces three days of mourning after deadly Funicular Crash kills 15

The city of Lisbon awoke Thursday to scenes of devastation and grief after the historic Gloria funicular derailed and crashed, killing at least 15 people and injuring 23 others in a catastrophic failure of the beloved transport system.

The Portuguese government has declared three days of national mourning in response to the tragedy.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening as the evening rush hour began.

One of the two iconic yellow carriages of the funicular, which has traversed the steep incline between Restauradores Square and the Bairro Alto district since 1885, reportedly derailed and careened uncontrollably down the cobbled street.

Eyewitnesses described the carriage hurtling down the hill “at full speed” before it slammed into a building with what one observer called “brutal force,” disintegrating “like a cardboard box.”

Frantic rescue operations continued for over two hours as emergency crews worked to extract victims from the mangled wreckage.

Among the deceased was a German tourist whose three-year-old son was pulled alive from the debris by a police officer; the boy’s mother is reported to be in critical condition.

According to Portugal’s National Institute for Medical Emergencies, five of the 23 injured are in serious condition.

The victims include both local residents and a number of foreign nationals. The trade union SITRA confirmed that one of its members was among those killed.

While local authorities state it is too early to officially determine the cause, preliminary reports from the Lisbon Firefighters Regiment suggest that a detached cable may have led to the catastrophic loss of control.

An investigation is now underway to ascertain the precise cause of the derailment.

The crash has sent shockwaves through the nation. In a statement, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa offered his condolences to the families of the victims, while Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas described the event as “a tragedy of the like we’ve never seen.”

As a mark of respect, several public events, including a popular book festival at Belém Palace, have been suspended. The usually vibrant city now stands in somber reflection as it comes to terms with the devastating loss.