Locals call out ‘excessive tourism’ after tram crash leaves at least 15 dead and 18 injured

A fatal derailment of Lisbon’s Glória Funicular during rush hour on Wednesday reportedly took the lives of at least 15 people and injured 18. A child is said to be among the injured.

Fabiana Pavel, president of the Bairro Alto Residents’ Association, is placing blame on “excessive tourism” leading up to the tragic train incident. 

“The use of it in recent years is certainly inappropriate,” he told BBC News. “It was used too much and the population lost the ability to use it as public transport, because it became a tourist attraction.”

LISBON’S HISTORIC GLÓRIA FUNICULAR DERAILS LEAVING AT LEAST 15 DEAD, 18 INJURED: REPORT

The cable-pulled tram, which has carried residents and tourists for generations, came off the tracks before crashing into a nearby building.

The Glória Funicular has long been a tourist draw. It connects Lisbon’s downtown with the Bairro Alto district and welcomes thousands of visitors annually, according to The Associated Press.

Mass tourism has been a problem for a number of European communities, with towns now implementing taxes as some locals gather to protest the influx of visitors. 

In June, protesters in Lisbon called out the mass influx of foreign visitors.

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The demonstration was in solidarity with protests in Barcelona and on the Spanish island of Mallorca as people shared their dismay about travelers in their country by spraying them with water guns.

Portugal’s historic city of Évora City Council implemented a tourist tax of nearly $2 (1.50 euros) per guest per night, which began on Aug 1., local news outlets reported. 

There were nearly 20 million international travelers who visited Portugal in 2024, according to Turismo De Portugal.

Authorities have launched a probe into the mechanical failure of Glória Funicular while local media have cited concerns over recent maintenance schedules.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed condolences to victims’ families and pledged full transparency in the official investigation, saying, “It’s a tragedy of the like we’ve never seen.”

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.