It was just after 18:00 on Wednesday when a carriage on Lisbon's famous Glória funicular careened around the bend of a steep cobblestoned street, crashed into a building, and crumpled, eyewitnesses said. The carriage lost control, descending at full speed and crashing on its side, Helen Chow, who was at the base of the hill, told the BBC. It sounded like a bomb, she said, followed by complete scary silence... There was pitch black smoke. Once it dissipated, you saw exactly what happened.
People were frantic and crying, with others running to help, she described. It was awful, she said. I am shaken.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash, which killed at least 16 people and injured about 20 more, some critically, near Lisbon's Avenida da Liberdade in the Portuguese capital. Video verified by the BBC shows the crashed yellow-and-white train against the building on the bend of a hill, with another train stopped at the bottom. People are running up the incline towards the scene of the crash.
The two carriages of the 140-year-old funicular, which runs on electric motors, are attached to a cable that allows one to travel downhill while the other goes uphill, passing each other during the three-minute one-way journey. Witnesses described how the carriage near the bottom of the hill crashed a short distance backwards before the upper carriage raced down the incline and into the building.
Rasha Abdo was travelling in the lower carriage when she experienced a terrifying descent. There were no brakes in our cable car; it was going down fast, with acceleration, like there was no control, she recounted. Abel Esteves, a Lisbon resident, saw the other carriage coming down at great speed and thought it was going to crash into theirs.
The crash resulted in chaos, with people jumping from windows and frantic attempts to escape as the upper carriage collided with the building. Eyewitnesses described the site as engulfed in dust and chaos, with many attempting to provide aid amidst the devastation.
Local resident and tour guide Marianna Figueiredo sought to assist after the crash, but was met with silence and was soon led to the grim reality of the situation, stating it was a very difficult sight to bear.
As the community mourns, the tragic incident serves as a reminder of the perils of urban transportation systems, highlighting the necessity for thorough safety investigations and preventive measures moving forward.
People were frantic and crying, with others running to help, she described. It was awful, she said. I am shaken.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash, which killed at least 16 people and injured about 20 more, some critically, near Lisbon's Avenida da Liberdade in the Portuguese capital. Video verified by the BBC shows the crashed yellow-and-white train against the building on the bend of a hill, with another train stopped at the bottom. People are running up the incline towards the scene of the crash.
The two carriages of the 140-year-old funicular, which runs on electric motors, are attached to a cable that allows one to travel downhill while the other goes uphill, passing each other during the three-minute one-way journey. Witnesses described how the carriage near the bottom of the hill crashed a short distance backwards before the upper carriage raced down the incline and into the building.
Rasha Abdo was travelling in the lower carriage when she experienced a terrifying descent. There were no brakes in our cable car; it was going down fast, with acceleration, like there was no control, she recounted. Abel Esteves, a Lisbon resident, saw the other carriage coming down at great speed and thought it was going to crash into theirs.
The crash resulted in chaos, with people jumping from windows and frantic attempts to escape as the upper carriage collided with the building. Eyewitnesses described the site as engulfed in dust and chaos, with many attempting to provide aid amidst the devastation.
Local resident and tour guide Marianna Figueiredo sought to assist after the crash, but was met with silence and was soon led to the grim reality of the situation, stating it was a very difficult sight to bear.
As the community mourns, the tragic incident serves as a reminder of the perils of urban transportation systems, highlighting the necessity for thorough safety investigations and preventive measures moving forward.
