The tram that derailed in Lisbon in early September had a cable that was unsuitable for passenger transport. This is evident from one preliminary research report from the Portuguese investigative body GPIAAF.
Sixteen people were killed and 21 were injured in the fatal tram accident in the Portuguese capital. The accident was caused by the loosening of a cable connecting two wagons. This caused the popular white-yellow cable car Elevador da Glória to hurtle down one of the hills in central Lisbon, before colliding with a building.
The loose cable, which had been replaced almost a year before the accident, did not meet the requirements set by carrier Carris for use for the Glória cable tram, researchers now conclude. Not only was the cable unsuitable for transporting people, the cable was also said to be unsuitable “for installation with swivel joints at the ends.” This is the case with the Glória cable tram, the research report states.
Whether this is also the reason why the cable came loose cannot yet be determined with certainty, according to the researchers. Identical cables were previously used on the Glória and Lavra cable trams without any problems. The cable cars in Lisbon have been out of use since the accident, until more is known about the cause.
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