Lisbon, Sep 4 (AP) The number of fatalities from the crash of a well-known Lisbon streetcar, a popular attraction among tourists, increased to 17 on Thursday following the deaths of two individuals among the 23 injured, according to an emergency services official.
Margarida Castro Martins, who leads Lisbon's Civil Protection Agency, confirmed that all those who died were adults. She refrained from disclosing their names or nationalities, emphasizing that their families would be notified first.
The crash on Wednesday left another 21 individuals injured. The casualties included Portuguese nationals and two Germans, two Spaniards, along with one person each from France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Morocco, South Korea, and Cape Verde. This diversity highlights the global appeal of the streetcar, especially during the bustling summer tourist season.
Following the incident, Portugal marked a national day of mourning, recognizing it as the capital's most severe disaster in recent memory.
Details about the deceased have not been fully released, but the transport workers' union SITRA did confirm that Andre Marques, the streetcar's brakeman, was among the victims.
As one of Lisbon's iconic tourist attractions, the 19th-century streetcar typically draws a crowd, offering scenic rides up and down the city's steep hills.
The National Forensics Institute, with support from colleagues in three other cities within Portugal, worked through the night conducting autopsies. Those injured were treated at several hospitals across the Lisbon region.
As of Thursday, the streetcar's damaged remains remained on the downtown road where it derailed, secured behind police lines.
Investigators from Portugal's judicial police force, responsible for probing serious incidents, were seen photographing the tracks and wreckage. Officials have refrained from commenting on potential causes such as brake failure or a snapped cable.
Known as the Elevador da Gloria, the yellow-and-white streetcar was found toppled on its side along its usual narrow path, with its sides and top severely deformed. The streetcar collided with a building around a road bend, resulting in extensive structural damage.
Witness Teresa d'Avo recounted to SIC, a Portuguese television channel, that the streetcar seemed uncontrollable and was without brakes. She watched as bystanders fled into nearby Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon's main boulevard.
The crash took place at approximately 6 p.m., coinciding with the start of the evening's rush hour. Emergency services reported that all affected individuals were extricated from the wreckage within a little over two hours.
Technically classified as a funicular, the streetcar operates by steel cables and can hold over 40 passengers, both seated and standing. It remains a regular transport mode for Lisbon's residents as well.
In service since 1885, the streetcar traverses a short stretch of a hill on a bendy, traffic-free lane, operating alongside another streetcar traveling in the opposite direction. Its route connects Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto district, noted for its vibrant nightlife.
As a precaution, Lisbon's City Council has temporarily halted operations of three other famed funicular streetcars in the city for urgent inspections.
The Elevador da Gloria holds the status of a national monument.
With Lisbon welcoming approximately 8.5 million visitors last year, the streetcar frequently attracted long queues of tourists eager for a brief ride.
Carris, which operates the streetcar, stated that routine maintenance had been conducted. They expressed their heartfelt condolences via social media to the victims and their families, assuring that a thorough investigation would be undertaken to pinpoint the cause of the malfunction.
Both President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas offered their sympathies to the bereaved families, with Moedas remarking on the unprecedented nature of the tragedy.
In response, the Portuguese government declared a national day of mourning.
A government statement read, “A tragic accident … caused the irreparable loss of human life, which left in mourning their families and dismayed the whole country.”
Flags at European Union establishments, including the European Parliament and European Commission in Brussels, flew at half-mast. Numerous EU leaders conveyed their condolences through social media platforms. (AP) SKS RD RD
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