At Least 15 Dead, 18 Injured After Popular Tourist Attraction Derails and Crashes

At least 15 people were killed and 18 others injured after a funicular in Lisbon crashed, officials said.

The Elevador da Glória, located in the Portuguese city’s Baixa district, derailed just after 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Sept. 3, according to reports from the New York Times, Sky News, and the BBC.

Five of the injured are in serious condition, while 13 others suffered minor wounds, Portugal’s emergency medical service told the BBC.

The Lisbon Firefighters Regiment said the crash happened after a cable “came loose” in the funicular’s system, the Times reported. The vehicle then lost control and hit a nearby building.

Although the victims’ names have not been released, some of those killed were foreign nationals, Sky News reported.

The Elevador da Glória is one of Lisbon’s most well-known funiculars, used by both tourists and locals, carrying more than three million passengers each year, the Times reported.

The system, which first opened in 1885, operates with cable-driven carriages that transport riders up the steep hill between the Baixa district and the Bairro Alto neighborhood. It is one of three funiculars in Lisbon.

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas told local outlet Diario de Noticia, “Lisbon is in mourning… It is a tragedy that has never happened in our city,” Sky News reported. “The moment is for action and help. I thank you all for the response in a few minutes. The only thing I can say is that it is a very tragic day.”