Nollowing the accident with the Glória elevator on September 3, which resulted in 16 deaths and over 20 injuries among Portuguese and foreign nationals, the Lisbon City Council immediately suspended the operation of the Bica and Lavra lifts and the Graça funicular for equipment inspections.
Under the presidency of Carlos Moedas (PSD), the Lisbon City Council also decided to appoint an independent technical commission “to evaluate the operating conditions of all the city’s lifts and funiculars”.
In response to a Lusa inquiry, three months after the Glória elevator tragedy, the municipality stated that “technical inspections and the study of their safe operation are underway, and after the completion of the technical reports, a timeline for their re-entry into operation will be defined”.
Regarding the internal investigation and external audit into the circumstances of the accident, which the Lisbon City Council demanded from the municipal company Carris, responsible for managing the Glória elevator, the council informed that “both are underway” and revealed that the audit was awarded to “a company with sector experience, Centro CATIM Projetos”.
The Lisbon City Council did not respond to some questions, including the creation of a municipal support fund for the victims and the evaluation of outsourcing lift maintenance services.
Lusa also questioned Fidelidade, Carris’s insurer, which stated that “from the first moment, it has been committed to supporting the victims and their families, ensuring the process is handled justly and humanely”.
“The insurance capital of Fidelidade with Carris is 50 million euros, and regardless of how long the process may take, Fidelidade will continue to support the victims and their families for as long as necessary”, an official source from the insurance company revealed, indicating that “it is still premature to identify a total value” for support, including compensations.
Fidelidade supported the transportation of family members, transfers, and the organization of funeral services, accommodation, and travel for victims’ families, and has also offered to cover the costs of procedures handled directly by the families, as well as other types of expenses.
“In cases where there are other insurance policies contracted by the victims, Fidelidade has covered expenses not covered by them”, it stated.
In relation to the 16 fatalities, Portuguese and foreign, the insurance company assured it is in contact with all families or their legal representatives and has requested the necessary documents for compensation calculation.
Regarding the identified injured, “Fidelidade is in contact with 19 people”, either directly or through family members and legal representatives, ensuring coverage for various expenses.
The delay in concluding the compensation process for the victims is also related to the fact that “it is necessary for the clinical condition of the injured to be stabilized”, with Fidelidade guaranteeing payment for necessary treatments so that the compensation can be calculated later.
The insurer further explained that compensation amounts for fatalities are calculated individually, considering factors such as the victim’s age, income, or family situation.
As for the new management of Carris, as the current board, chaired by Pedro de Brito Bogas, resigned on October 22, the council informed that “this is an issue being addressed, with the presentation of the new board expected soon”.
The resignation followed the preliminary report conclusions from the Office for Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF), which detected flaws and omissions in the maintenance of the Glória elevator, including that the cable connecting the two cabins of the lift, which failed, did not meet specifications nor was it certified for passenger transport.
On Tuesday, during the presentation of the municipal budget proposal for Lisbon for 2026, the deputy mayor, Gonçalo Reis (PSD), who oversees Carris, as well as Finance and Mobility portfolios, stated that the new management of this municipal public transport company in the city will be formalized in the coming weeks.
“The current management will remain in place until the end of December, and therefore, we will find a transition solution,” he said.
