During remarks to journalists after visiting the Jorge Pina Academy in Lisbon, the presidential candidate for next year’s elections commented that the preliminary report levies “serious criticisms against Carris” but refrained from calling for dismissals.
“I am not going to make decisions regarding the rolling of heads, nor advocate for it, much less make such decisions. It is not within my jurisdiction. But there are substantial accusations against Carris, so it is up to Carris’s managers to decide if they have the conditions to continue or not,” he argued.
Luís Marques Mendes noted that the preliminary findings “are quite severe concerning Carris” and suggested that “it is up to Carris’s managers to analyze and evaluate whether they have the conditions to stay or leave.”
“But that decision is theirs, and I am not calling for any heads to roll, because that is not within my competence,” he stated.
Luís Marques Mendes also called for a swift release of the final report, stating that “it should not take too long, because decisions need to be made.”
“It is unacceptable and inadmissible for there to be many months between the preliminary and final reports,” he argued.
The preliminary report from the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft Accidents and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF) identified failures and omissions in the maintenance of the Glória tram, as well as a lack of staff training and supervision of work carried out by the service provider.
The accident involving the Glória lift, which occurred on September 3, resulted in 16 fatalities and approximately two dozen injuries, involving both Portuguese and foreign individuals of various nationalities.
In the preliminary report on the causes of the accident, which Lusa accessed, GPIAAF pointed specifically to shortcomings involving Carris, maintenance, and supervision.
The preliminary report from GPIAAF reveals that the cable connecting the two cabins of the Glória lift, which failed at its carriage attachment point, did not meet Carris’s specifications nor was it certified for passenger transport use.
This public body found maintenance failures and omissions, also highlighting a lack of staff training and supervision of tasks performed by the contracted service company.
GPIAAF mentions, for instance, that inspections scheduled for the day of the accident “are recorded as completed, despite evidence indicating they were not conducted during the specified time period noted in the corresponding registry.”
The agency also recommends that Carris should not reactivate Lisbon’s lifts “without reassessment by a specialized entity,” and urges the Institute for Mobility and Transport to implement an appropriate regulatory framework.
Following the report’s release, Carris stated it was unaware of any non-compliance by the company maintaining the lift, noting that the cable’s procurement process occurred during a previous administrative term.
