At least 15 people died and 18 were injured on Wednesday (September 3) when Lisbon's Gloria funicular railway car, which is popular with tourists and is one of the city's symbols, derailed and crashed, an emergency medical service spokesperson told reporters.

Authorities did not identify the victims or disclose their nationalities, but said some foreign nationals were among the dead. Five people were gravely injured, the spokesperson said.

Footage from the site showed the destroyed yellow tram-like funicular, which carries people up and down a steep hillside in the Portuguese capital. Emergency workers were pulling people out of the wreckage.

“We were alerted of the derailment of the Santa Justa elevator at 6:08 p.m (…) The causes of the accident will have to be analysed by the competent authorities,” said Alexandre Rodrigues, commander of Lisbon’s Professional Firefighters.

The line, which opened in 1885, connects Lisbon's downtown area near the Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter), famous for its vibrant nightlife.

The Gloria line transports around 3 million people annually, according to the town hall.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

LISBON, PORTUGAL (SEPTEMBER 3, 2025) (REUTERS- Access all)

1. FIRE BRIGADE AND EMERGENCY TEAMS WORKING NEXT TO DERAILED FUNICULAR

2. AMBULANCES, POLICE AND CIVIL PROTECTION VEHICLES PARKING IN FOZ PALACE NEAR ACCIDENT SITE

3. FIRE BRIGADE AND EMERGENCY TEAMS WORKING

4. POLICE GUARDING SITE

5. ACCIDENT SITE

6. PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND ROPE

7. VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS WORKING

8. (NIGHT SHOT) POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS NEAR ACCIDENT SITE

9. (NIGHT SHOT) FIRE TRUCK IN STREET WHERE FUNICULAR DERAILED

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PORTUGUESE MEDICAL EMERGENCY SERVICE DOCTOR, TIAGO AUGUSTO, SAYING:

“Let’s start with the total number of injured in this accident, where we highlight 5 seriously injured who were transported to the hospitals of Santa Maria, Sao Jose, and Sao Francisco Xavier. We also have a total of 13 minor injuries, among whom we note a child admitted to Santa Maria Hospital. As for the fatalities, the final number so far is 15.”

11. (NIGHT SHOT) FIREFIGHTERS WORKING NEAR FUNICULAR

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) COMMANDER OF LISBON PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS, ALEXANDRE RODRIGUES, SAYING:

“We were alerted of the derailment of the Santa Justa elevator at 6:08 p.m. We arrived at the scene in 3 minutes, getting there very quickly. The causes of the accident will have to be analysed by the competent authorities.”

13. (NIGHT SHOT) POLICE VEHICLES AT FOZ PALACE

14. POLICE GUARDING SITE

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LISBON RESIDENT, JOSE RIBEIRO, SAYING:

“I came because I saw the news on the internet.( Journalist asking: What exactly happened?) A tragedy, evidently. According to reports at the moment, there are 15 dead.”

16. (NIGHT SHOT) POLICE VEHICLES NEAR ACCIDENT SITE

17. DERAILED FUNICULAR

18. FOZ PALACE