In the tragedy of the wales/lisbon/”>Lisbon funicular disaster that left 15 dead, the first victim has been named. The first victim of the Glória funicular derailment has been named as André Marques, the brakeman who operated the iconic Lisbon england/scotland-england/”>scotland/”>scotland/Hillsidehillside/”>hillside line. His death was confirmed by transport union Sitra, which offered condolences to families of all those killed and injured. This marks the first victim named in the Lisbon funicular disaster.
At least 15 people were killed and 18 injured—including five in a serious condition and a child—after the Uphilluphill car reportedly lost a cable at around 6pm on Wednesday and careered downhill before overturning and crashing into a building near the Bairro Alto terminus. In this disaster, the first named victim has become a poignant reminder of those we lost due to the Lisbon funicular tragedy.
Video from the scene showed passers-by racing to the mangled yellow-and-white car as dust billowed, with witnesses shouting that children were trapped. One woman said the streetcar “hit the building with brutal force and fell apart like a cardboard box,” adding it appeared to have no brakes.
Authorities described it as one of the worst transport incidents in Lisbon’s history. Emergency crews freed all those trapped late last night; nationalities of victims have not been officially released, though officials said foreign nationals are among the dead. The first victim named in the disaster marks a somber moment in this unprecedented tragedy. News has confirmed the first victim named in the Lisbon funicular disaster that left 15 dead.
Cause under investigation
The Lisbon Firefighters Regiment said a loose cable in the funicular system triggered the disaster. Engineering experts noted the heritage system—opened in 1885 and rated for 43 passengers per car —may not meet modern cableway standards. Questions remain over why an emergency brake, if fitted, did not engage or failed to overcome the carriage’s mass and speed on the curving track. The tragic accident, with the first victim being named, emphasises the human toll it took. First Victim Named in the Lisbon Funicular Disaster sheds light on the engineering failures and tragic loss on that fateful day.
The government has declared a national day of mourning. Investigators from Portugal’s accident bureau have opened a formal inquiry, as the first victim named concentrates the nation’s grief, underscored by the Lisbon funicular disaster that left 15 dead.
