At least three people are dead and 20 more injured after Lisbon’s famous Gloria Funicular derailed on Wednesday evening.

The tragedy happened when a cable on the railway came loose, causing the vehicle to lose control and speed down a steep hill, eventually crashing into a building.

Video from the location revealed the tram-like funicular, which transports people up and down the hillside in Lisbon, was nearly destroyed. Emergency responders were seen rescuing individuals from the wreckage.

Witness Teresa d’Avo shared with Portuguese TV channel SIC: ‘It collided with a building with such brutal force and came apart like a cardboard box. The crash was extremely powerful. There were no brakes at all.’

Portugal’s PSP police force has confirmed three people have been killed and around 20 people have been injured.

Civil Protection director Margarida Castro Martins mentioned that two of the injured were in critical condition earlier, but it was unclear if they had later passed away and were part of the three deaths.

Some of the injuries victims have suffered reportedly include open fractures. The nationalities of the victims have not yet been released.

Police, paramedics and firefighters have rushed to the scene. It was not immediately clear what had caused the crash.

At least 20 people have been hurt after Lisbon’s famous Gloria Funicular derailed

The drama occurred at 6.05pm on Wednesday evening after one of the cables reportedly came loose

Video from the scene depicted the tram-like funicular, which transports people up and down the hillside in Lisbon, nearly destroyed, with emergency personnel extracting people from the debris.

Local reports mentioned that three individuals were in ‘critical condition,’ with some victims suffering from severe injuries such as open fractures.

Firefighters carrying the body of a person on a stretcher at the site of a derailed electric streetcar in Lisbon, Portugal

Fernando Nunes da Silva, former Lisbon City Council member and engineering specialist, told SIC Notícias that ‘it’s most likely that the traction cable broke and when that cable broke the brakes didn’t work.’

‘The descending elevator gained momentum and continued at great speed,’ he added.

The former councilman says that these elevators ‘have a very sturdy metal structure and were built at a time when very rigid structures were highly valued.’ 

‘For the [elevator] to be in that condition, it had to be hit very hard,’ he notes.

And he says: ‘There is no record of the elevator having had an accident in the last few decades.’

‘Something surprising is that the brakes didn’t work because when a situation like this happens, there are devices in the vehicle that allow braking to be applied. 

‘Even if this doesn’t prevent the derailment, it could have reduced the impact,’ says Nunes da Silva.

He says he’s noticed in many situations involving government functions that ‘there’s a lack of people with a good memory and who learned from their elders.’ ‘All of those people have left,’ he says.

Emergency teams work at the site of a derailed electric streetcar in Lisbon, Portugal, Wednesday

Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said: ‘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 of the Republic 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.’

Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas is at the scene.

The funicular railway line, is one of three of its kind in Lisbon and is well used by tourists to navigate the city’s many steep hills.

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. 

It is operated by the municipal public transport company Carris.

Its two cars are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable with traction provided by electric motors on the two cars.

The car at the bottom of the line was apparently undamaged, but CNN Portugal said passengers had to jump out of its windows when the incident happened

The Aircraft and Railway Accident Prevention and Investigation Office (GPIAAF) will open an investigation into the derailment of the Glória elevator

The car at the bottom of the line was apparently undamaged, but CNN Portugal said passengers had to jump out of its windows when the incident happened.

It was opened in 1885 as the second of its kind in the city. Although it was only electrified in 1915, it still retains its original characteristics.

There are unconfirmed reports several people are still trapped.

The Aircraft and Railway Accident Prevention and Investigation Office (GPIAAF) will open an investigation into the derailment of the Glória elevator.

‘The GPIAAF will open an investigation [into the accident], but due to limited [human] resources in the railway area, it will only begin collecting evidence at the site tomorrow morning [Thursday],’ a source from this public body told Lusa news agency.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow.