On Sept. 3, 2025, a vintage funicular in central Lisbon lost control while descending a steep slope shortly after 6 p.m. and crashed into a building, killing 17 people and injuring at least 21, officials said.
Key Takeaways
- Seventeen people died and at least 21 were wounded in the Elevador da Glória crash in Lisbon.
- The driver, André Jorge Gonçalves Marques, was among those killed.
- Rescuers transported victims to local hospitals; forensic teams began autopsies to identify the dead.
- Authorities ordered suspensions and inspections of other city funiculars, including Elevador da Bica.
- Carris, the Lisbon transport operator, said maintenance protocols were followed; a multi-agency probe is ongoing.
- Some local outlets, citing firefighters, reported a cable may have come loose; that detail remains unconfirmed.
Verified Facts
Emergency services responded after one of the two yellow-and-white carriages on the Elevador da Glória derailed while travelling downhill on a steep, cobbled street in central Lisbon. The carriage struck a building; debris included a detached roof, twisted metal and broken wooden seats.
Officials said the victims carried Portuguese and foreign surnames, and the injured included citizens from Canada, France, Germany, Morocco, Spain and Switzerland. An Italian ministry spokeswoman said an Italian woman suffered a broken arm.
Forensic teams led by the Portuguese forensics institute began autopsies overnight. Institute director Francisco Corte Real told reporters investigators aimed to identify all victims quickly so families could be notified; medical examiners were brought in from other regions to assist.
Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas ordered the suspension of operations at the city’s remaining funiculars and requested technical inspections across the system. Several national agencies are participating in the inquiry, including the public security police, the criminal investigation division, and the office that investigates aircraft and railway accidents.
Carris, the municipal transport company, said general maintenance was last performed in 2022, an interim checkup took place in 2024, and routine weekly and daily inspections had been carried out. The operator also opened its own internal investigation.
Context & Impact
The Elevador da Glória is a short but heavily used tourist line linking the downtown area to Bairro Alto. Each of the two cars can carry roughly 40 passengers and the run typically lasts only a few minutes, making it a common stop on visitor itineraries.
The accident has prompted a national day of mourning and immediate safety reviews for heritage transport across Lisbon. Officials say the probe will examine mechanical systems, maintenance records and operational procedures to determine whether human error, equipment failure or other factors caused the crash.
Beyond the direct human toll, the crash is likely to affect tourism sentiment and raise questions about oversight of historical urban transport. City authorities face pressure to demonstrate transparent, rapid findings to reassure residents and visitors.
Official Statements
Civil protection director Margarida Castro Martins said investigators would work to identify victims and that most of the injured were foreign nationals.
Margarida Castro Martins / Lisbon Civil Protection Agency
Carris said in a statement that maintenance protocols had been followed and that the company had opened an investigation into the incident.
Carris (Lisbon Public Transport)
Unconfirmed
- Initial local reports, citing firefighters, suggested a cable may have come loose; authorities have not confirmed a cable failure as the cause.
- No final determination has been released about mechanical fault versus operational error pending the multi-agency investigation.
Bottom Line
The crash of the Elevador da Glória left 17 dead and dozens shocked a city that relies on steep, historic transport links. Investigators from multiple agencies are working to establish the cause while officials suspend similar services and carry out inspections to prevent a repeat.