LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The death toll from the crash of the popular Elevador da Gloria streetcar in Lisbon rose to 17 on Thursday following the deaths of two individuals in the hospital, according to emergency services.
All deceased were adults. Margarida Castro Martins, head of Lisbon's Civil Protection Agency, confirmed that the injured included 21 people, ranging in age from 3 to 65, with nationalities spanning Portugal, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Morocco, South Korea, and Cape Verde.
The 19th-century funicular derailed on Wednesday evening around 6 p.m. local time, crashing into a building. Witnesses described a chaotic scene with the streetcar overturned and its body crumpled.
Emergency responders quickly arrived on the scene, assisting victims who were removed from the wreckage within two hours. Police have commenced an investigation into the cause, with speculation surrounding potential brake failure or a snapped cable.
Service for three other funiculars in the city has been suspended for safety inspections. Authorities are conducting autopsies on the deceased, and Lisbon observed a national day of mourning as the community reels from the tragedy.
Lisbon, which welcomed around 8.5 million tourists last year, saw the streetcar become a central attraction during the summer season. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas expressed condolences, with flags flying at half-staff at EU institutions.