A devastating streetcar accident in Lisbon, Portugal, last month, which claimed 16 lives and left 21 injured, has been attributed to a combination of a failed steel cable and significant maintenance deficiencies, according to an official preliminary report released on Monday. The incident, one of the city’s most tragic in recent history, involved a century-old funicular streetcar, a beloved tourist attraction that traverses a steep hill in tandem with a second car. The streetcar derailed on a bend, hurtling down the hill before crashing into a building, reducing the wooden cabin to a mangled wreck. Among the victims, 11 were foreign nationals. The Office for Air and Rail Accident Prevention and Investigation revealed that the underground steel haulage cable, which connected the two cars and balanced their weight, was inadequate for its purpose. The cable, in use for less than a year, lacked certification for public transport and was improperly installed, contravening the manufacturer’s guidelines. The report highlighted five instances where the maintenance program referenced ‘non-existent, inapplicable, or outdated standards.’ Following the cable’s failure, safety systems cut power to the streetcar, rendering the pneumatic brake ineffective and the manual brake insufficient to halt the car’s descent. Investigators are also examining potential improvements to the streetcar’s braking system. The preliminary report does not assign liability or blame, with a more comprehensive final report expected next year.
Cable failure and maintenance flaws contributed to Portugal streetcar crash, investigation says
