Lisbon tram derails and crashes with 28 on board

One of Lisbon’s iconic trams has derailed in the Lapa district leaving 28 injured, many of whom were trapped inside the carriage.

The derailment on Friday afternoon happened at the intersection of Rua São Domingos de Lapa and Garcia de Orta, at a steep section of track on the Campo de Ourique-Praça da Figueira, ‘number 25’ route.

The Santa Maria Hospital, São José Hospital and São Francisco Xavier Hospital were on stand-by to receive and treat the passengers that included tourists and a child and a baby, said both to be British, a claim later denied by the Foreign Office.

According to the Civil Protection website, 64 emergency personnel and 24 emergency vehicles were deployed after the alert was received at 18:07.

The President of the Republic went to the scene of the accident and, in televised statements, highlighted the “quick and efficient” response capacity of the emergency services.

“Fortunately there was an immediate and very efficient response and the number of people who already have been rescued is much higher than those who are trapped,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who arrived at the scene about an hour after the accident happened.

All 28 passengers were discharged by 8pm, confirmed a Civil Protection spokesman.

The operator, Carris, has confirmed that it will open a “thorough investigation” to find out the causes of the accident.

Witnesses said to CMTV that the tram was going too fast and derailed at the corner of the street, struck a building and fell onto its side.