The government has declared a national day of mourning to be observed on Thursday following the tragic Glória elevator accident in Lisbon that resulted in 15 fatalities. The Lisbon City Council has also declared three days of municipal mourning.
The Glória elevator in Lisbon derailed this afternoon at 6:04 PM on Calçada da Glória.
The derailment caused at least 15 fatalities, as reported by INEM, and several others are critically injured.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has canceled part of his Thursday schedule, retaining only the Council of Ministers meeting and his participation via videoconference in the Goodwill Coalition leaders’ meeting concerning Ukraine.
The Prime Minister’s agenda for Thursday also included signing a financing contract for affordable housing with the European Investment Bank and attending a Carolina Deslandes concert as part of the Festa do Livro in Belém, which has also been canceled by the President of the Republic.
Luís Montenegro’s office had already released a statement expressing the government’s and the Prime Minister’s deep sorrow over the incident at the Glória elevator, noting their ongoing monitoring “from the first moments” of the situation and the public authorities’ response.
“The government has been, from the first moments, monitoring the situation and the response from various public emergency medical authorities, health units, civil protection, security forces, and transport services, to whom directions have been issued for the provision of all necessary support,” the statement reads, adding that they are “in constant contact and close coordination with the City Council.”
“With the immediate priority being the aid to victims, the competent authorities will carry out in due time the necessary investigations to determine the causes of this unfortunate accident,” the statement emphasizes.
The Glória elevator, managed by Carris, connects the Restauradores to the São Pedro de Alcântara Garden in Bairro Alto over a distance of about 265 meters and is popular among tourists.
[Updated at 10:11 PM]
