Alison Roberts
Reporting from Lisbon

Carris, the company that runs Lisbon's trams and funiculars is going to open its own investigation, following tonights terrible incident.

It also says its regular maintenance, which is carried out every four years, was last done 2022. Its interim maintenance was conducted last year, and regular monthly and weekly checks also took place.

As far as the company knows, everything was done according to the book, it says.

But one of the unions representing Carris employees has expressed concerns that not enough maintenance has been carried out. Carris denies this is the case.

The transport accident investigation department is going to open its own investigation - and the criminal police are already on the scene.

This is clearly a very serious incident.

A witness tells Portuguese TV channel SIC that the funicular, which can hold around 40 people, hit a building as it sped down the steep street "at full speed", AFP news agency reports.

"It hit a building with brutal force and collapsed like a cardboard box; it had no brakes," the woman says.

Spain's Prime Minster Pedro Sanchez says he is "appalled by the terrible accident" that occurred in Lisbon tonight.

"All our affection and solidarity with the families of the victims and with the Portuguese people in this difficult moment," he writes in a statement on X.

"And our wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured people."

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Image source, Reuters

At the crash site, first responders in hazmat suits are photographing the mangled funicular and the street around it.

The blue lights from the emergency vehicles are flashing as fire crew and forensic officers in white overalls work at the site.

You can watch live the scene at the top of the page.

The 18 people injured in the crash have been taken to hospital, a Portuguese emergency services spokesperson says.

Image source, EPA

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed her condolences on social media

"It is with sadness that I learned of the derailment of the famous Elevador da Glória," von der Leyen writes in a post on X, adding: "My condolences to the families of the victims."

Separately, European Parliamentary President Roberta Metsola says: "Europe stands in solidarity with the victims, their loved ones and the entire community in Lisbon."

Image source, BBC/John Bray

A funicular is a type of railway system that allows travel up and down steep slopes.

The two cars on the Gloria Funicular are powered by electric motors.

They are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable meaning that as one travels downhill, its weight lifts the other, allowing them to ascend and descend simultaneously.

Image source, Reuters

We've just been hearing from Pedro Bogas from Carris, the Lisbon Tramways Company.

It's a "very a sad day, not just for the victims but also for their families," he says.

"We are very sorry about what happened," he says. "Today is a day of consternation."

General upkeep of the funicular is done every four years, he says, with the last one taking place in 2022.

He adds that there were daily inspections of the funicular.

"We have strict protocols, excellent professionals for many years, and we need to get to the bottom of what happened," he says.

• A carriage on the world-famous Lisbon funicular railway has crashed, killing at least 15 people and injuring 18 others
• The carriage derailed at around 18:15 local time (18:15 BST / 17:15 GMT)
• Some of those killed were foreigners, authorities say
• One witness described seeing the vehicle "out of control, without brakes"
• The cause of the crash is not known. The Lisbon mayor has declared three days of mourning

Image source, David Grundy / BBC

Alison Roberts
Reporting from Lisbon

In the last hour or so, the ambulances have stopped arriving, and the people who were trapped inside the carriage of the funicular have been brought out.

The forensics team are now photographing the scene and parts of the Gloria Funicular.

We haven't had official confirmation about what caused the accident - but at moment, the presumption is that something went wrong with the braking system, which would have involved the cable that runs under the surface of the steep road.

These funicular cabs move by gripping onto the cable - so if anything happened to that cable, it would be a very serious situation.

Tourism is central to Portugal's economy, in particular Lisbon's. The Portuguese are going to be very shocked by this because they want their foreign visitors to be safe. This will horrify people.

The system has been operating for almost 150 years, but clearly something went very wrong today.

It's now into the evening time in Lisbon - let's take a look at some of the latest pictures from on the ground.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

More now from Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas, who in a post on X announces three days of mourning for those killed in the crash.

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to all the families and friends of the victims. Lisbon is in mourning," he writes.

The funicular crash took place on a popular tram line in the centre of Lisbon, close to the train station and the Restauradores public square.

This tram line takes people from the square to the picturesque cobbled streets of an area called Bairro Alto.

Emergency services are at the scene of the crash of Lisbon's Gloria Funicular.

Several people were earlier trapped but have since been freed, authorities have said.

You can watch video from the scene earlier today below.

More now from the update from authorities in Lisbon.

Emergency services say that they "can't confirm the nationalities, but there are foreigners" killed in the crash.

They also confirmed that some Portuguese nationals are among those who have died.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

The mayor of Lisbon, who has been speaking to media at the scene, has released a statement on social media.

Lisbon is in mourning, Mayor Carlos Moedas says in a post on X, calling the incident a tragic a moment for the city.

Emergency response teams, including the fire brigade, civil protection and municipal police are all at the scene providing assistance, he says, and victims have been taken to hospital.

Moedas goes on to say he deeply regrets the lives lost and the suffering caused.

What matters now is to act, he says, which means support for the families, the injured and the authorities working on the ground.

Image source, Reuters

Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says he "deeply regrets" the "fatalities and serious injuries" caused by today's crash.

The statement says the president "expresses his condolences and solidarity with the families affected by this tragedy" and hopes for clarity around the incident from authorities soon.

Image source, Reuters

At least 15 people have died and 18 others are injured after Lisbon's famous Gloria Funicular derailed and crashed, emergency services say.

Portugal's emergency medical service authority says that a five of those injured were in a serious condition. The remaining 13, which includes a child, sustained minor wounds.

Several people were earlier said to have been trapped at the scene. They have all since been freed, authorities say.

They add that the cause of the crash remains unknown.

Local authorities say the number of people who have died has risen to 15, while several remain injured, including a child.