“After verification and inspection by Lisbon City Council (CML) services and the Municipal Civil Protection, it was also possible to ascertain the total safety conditions of the building affected by the accident,” states a note from the organization sent to Lusa.
According to the director of Lisbon’s Municipal Civil Protection Service, Margarida Castro Martins, before the complete reopening of the road, “it will still be necessary to wait for the pavement to dry to begin repairing the sidewalks, which is expected to be completed Sunday afternoon.”
“A subsequent intervention in the stormwater drainage system will also be necessary, which can only take place on Monday morning following the road’s consolidation,” she further specified.
The official added that “it is expected that by Sunday afternoon a pedestrian walkway and access to commerce can be opened,” and that between Monday and Tuesday, depending on the progress of the work, “the entire affected area can be fully reopened and normalized.”
The Glória Elevator, one of the main tourist attractions in the center of Lisbon, derailed on Wednesday in the worst accident of its nearly 140-year history, resulting in 16 deaths and over 20 injuries.
The accident, under investigation by several entities, resulted in 16 fatalities – including five Portuguese, two South Koreans, one Swiss, three British, two Canadians, one Ukrainian, one American, and one French national – who were identified by the Judiciary Police and the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences.
The government declared a national day of mourning, observed on Thursday. Lisbon City Council declared three days of municipal mourning, from Thursday to today.
The Glória Elevator consists of two motorized electric cabins synchronized by cable, and it derailed around 6:00 PM on Wednesday. About five minutes later, the fire brigade and emergency medical personnel from INEM arrived at the scene and immediately began rescue and extrication operations for the victims.
The Glória Elevator is managed by Carris and connects the Restauradores Square to the São Pedro de Alcântara Garden in Bairro Alto, over a distance of approximately 265 meters, and is highly popular among tourists.
