A tragic accident occurred in Lisbon when the famous Gloria Funicular train derailed, resulting in the deaths of three individuals and injuring at least 20 others. Emergency services, including police, paramedics, and firefighters, swiftly responded to the scene to assist passengers after one of the two cars, which are permanently attached to a haulage cable, fell from a significant height.

Eyewitness footage captured scenes of chaos, with bystanders gathering around one of the damaged cars, which was emitting smoke. In the background, a twisted mass of metal was visible, indicating that another car or part of the structure had come off the rails and shattered into several pieces.

According to reports from the Portuguese newspaper Observador, the incident was triggered when a cable became loose along the railway's route. This malfunction caused a carriage to lose control and crash into a nearby building. The crash occurred at approximately 6:05 PM local time, with witness Teresa d’Avo describing the impact as "brutal". She stated, "It crashed into a building with tremendous force and fell apart like a cardboard box. It didn’t have any kind of brakes."

Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed his condolences, stating, "The President of the Republic deeply regrets the accident that occurred this afternoon with the Gloria funicular railway in Lisbon, particularly the fatalities and serious injuries, as well as the various minor injuries. The President offers his condolences and solidarity to the families affected by this tragedy and hopes that the incident will be quickly clarified by the competent authorities."

Civil Protection director Margarida Castro Martins confirmed that two of the injured were critically hurt, although it was unclear if they were among the three fatalities. The Gloria Funicular, a popular tourist attraction, connects the lower part of Lisbon to the Bairro Alto district, specifically from Praça dos Restauradores to the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint. Opened in 1885, it is one of three funiculars in the city and was electrified in 1915, retaining much of its original charm.