The night of September 4, 2025, took a horrifying turn in Lisbon when a carriage on the historic Glória funicular veered out of control and crashed into a building, tragically claiming at least 16 lives and injuring around 20 others.
Helen Chow, an eyewitness at the scene, described the moment the carriage careened around a steep corner, likening the noise to a bomb. It sounded like a bomb, followed by complete scary silence... There was pitch black smoke, Chow recounted, still shaken from the experience.
As the smoke cleared, chaos ensued with people screaming and attempting to render aid. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred near Lisbon's Avenida da Liberdade, a popular area bustling with locals and tourists.
Another witness, Rasha Abdo, who was traveling in the lower carriage, reflected on the harrowing descent: There were no brakes in our cable car; it was going down fast, like there was no control. Her husband jumped out with their son just moments before the upper carriage struck.
Locals and tourists alike witnessed the terrible scene unfold, with one American tourist, Eric Packer, recounting how he had just debated whether to take the funicular before hearing the crash. It was a horrible tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and survivors, he expressed, still haunted by what he saw.
The two carriages of the century-old funicular operate on a cable system, allowing one to ascend while the other descends. However, the shocking incident raised serious questions about safety measures and operational protocols.
As rescue efforts continued, community members rushed to the scene to assist the victims, where emergency responders faced a daunting task of treating the injured amid the devastation.
Tour guide Marianna Figueiredo, who rushed to help, described the scene as a horrific tragedy with overwhelmed emotions and fear among witnesses. She said, It was very bad. A big tragedy, emphasizing the local community's effort to provide aid during the crisis.
