Deadly Lisbon Streetcar Crash Claims 15 Lives, City Mourns as Investigation Begins
Deadly Lisbon Streetcar Crash Claims 15 Lives, City Mourns as Investigation Begins
LISBON, Portugal — A tragic incident has cast a pall over Lisbon, as a picturesque electric streetcar, a major tourist attraction, derailed and crashed on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, resulting in the deaths of 15 people and injuring 18 others. Five of the injured are reported to be in serious condition, and a child is among the casualties.
The accident, described by authorities as the worst in the city’s recent history, involved the famed ‘Elevador da Gloria,’ which typically transports millions of tourists and residents up and down a steep downtown hill. Eyewitnesses reported the streetcar careened out of control, appearing to have no brakes, before crashing with brutal force into a building, leaving its sides and top crumpled.
Emergency services swiftly responded, with dozens of workers at the scene. Portugal’s National Institute for Medical Emergencies confirmed the fatalities and injuries, noting an unknown number of foreigners were among those hurt. Following the crash, Lisbon’s City Council immediately suspended operations of other streetcars and ordered urgent inspections across the network.
The incident has prompted a wave of condolences from national and international leaders. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas expressed profound sorrow, with the Mayor stating, “It’s a tragedy of the like we’ve never seen.” Portugal’s government has declared a day of national mourning for Thursday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also extended their sympathies.
An investigation into the cause of the derailment is now underway. Carris, the operating company, has offered condolences and promised full diligence in determining the accident’s origins, stating scheduled maintenance had been carried out. The streetcar, technically a funicular and classified as a national monument, has been in service since 1885.
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