A devastating tram crash in Lisbon, Portugal, on Wednesday killed at least 15 people and injured 18 others, with a child among the injured. The Glória Funicular, a historic cable-pulled tram, derailed during rush hour and crashed into a nearby building, a tragedy that is now being linked to the city’s overwhelming tourism problem.
Fabiana Pavel, the president of the Bairro Alto Residents’ Association, said that “excessive tourism” is to blame for the accident. He told BBC News that the tram was “used too much and the population lost the ability to use it as public transport, because it became a tourist attraction.” The Glória Funicular has been a long-time fixture of the city, connecting downtown Lisbon to the Bairro Alto district. However, it has become a major tourist attraction, drawing in thousands of visitors.
