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LISBON, Portugal: Fifteen people were killed and 18 others, including a child, suffered injuries when one of Lisbon’s most famous tourist attractions, the yellow-and-white Elevador da Glória streetcar, derailed and crashed this week.

Five of the injured are in serious condition, according to Portugal’s National Institute for Medical Emergencies. Authorities also confirmed that some foreigners were among the victims, though their exact number has not yet been released.

The crash is being described as Lisbon’s worst streetcar accident in recent memory. Officials called it an accident but have not yet identified the cause. The streetcar was carrying passengers up the city’s steep downtown hill when it went off the rails. It toppled onto its side on a narrow street and slammed into a nearby building. The vehicle, made primarily of metal, was badly crushed and twisted.

Eyewitnesses described terrifying scenes. Some said the streetcar appeared to have lost its brakes and was out of control as it sped down the hill. “It hit the building with brutal force and fell apart like a cardboard box,” said Teresa d’Avó, a resident who spoke to Portuguese television. Another witness said the streetcar toppled onto a man walking along the sidewalk.

Videos shared online showed smoke rising near the wreckage as passengers from another streetcar ran uphill to help. Emergency crews arrived quickly, with several dozen firefighters, medics, and police officers working at the scene. Within just over two hours, all the victims had been rescued or recovered.

The company that operates the service, Carris, said the streetcar had recently undergone scheduled maintenance. In a public message, it expressed deep sorrow for the victims and their families and pledged to investigate thoroughly. Meanwhile, Lisbon’s City Council suspended the operation of all other streetcars and ordered urgent safety inspections.

National leaders responded with sorrow. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Lisbon’s mayor, Carlos Moedas, both offered condolences, with Moedas calling it “a tragedy of the like we’ve never seen.” The Portuguese government declared September 4 a day of national mourning, saying the loss had left families and the nation in grief.

Messages of sympathy also came from abroad. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her sadness in Portuguese. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani both offered solidarity. The U.S. Embassy in Lisbon also issued condolences.

The Elevador da Glória has been a Lisbon landmark since 1885. Classified as a national monument, the funicular uses steel cables to pull streetcars up and down a short but steep hill. Each car can carry over 40 people and is a favorite with both locals and tourists.

Last year alone, Lisbon welcomed 8.5 million visitors, many of whom lined up for a ride on this iconic service.

Now, as Portugal mourns, investigators are preparing to investigate what caused one of the city’s proudest symbols to become the scene of such devastation.