The Glória Elevator accident occurred on September 3, 2025, causing 16 deaths and 24 injured, with victims from 15 different nationalities. The maintenance of the equipment was the responsibility of MNTC – Serviços Técnicos de Engenharia, Lda., a company that had been providing services to Carris since 2017, under a contract of 995,515.20 euros, plus VAT, for a period of 36 months, also covering the Bica, Lavra, and Santa Justa Elevators. Carris revoked the contract with MNTC on November 4, 2025, two months after the accident, taking over maintenance responsibilities internally.
The GPIAAF's preliminary report identified maintenance-related problems, pointing out that MNTC did not have an engineering team with specialized technical knowledge in funicular systems. A criminal investigation is underway by the Public Prosecutor's Office, with three defendants already formally charged, including the director of Carris. The forensic examinations, considered highly complex from a technical standpoint, are expected to conclude in November 2026, with the final inquiry decision anticipated by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
One year later, only four of the 16 compensation claims from fatal victims have been concluded with an agreement between the insurer and the families. Seven claims were under negotiation, one was heading to court, one was being handled as a workplace accident, and three still had no final proposal due to documentary and legal issues. The Fidelidade insurance company revealed it had already assumed approximately 2.3 million euros in expenses related to the accident, including compensation, funeral costs, medical treatments, and other costs, under an insurance policy with coverage of up to 50 million euros.
Carris presented the new plan for the Glória Elevator on August 31, 2026, envisioning the complete replacement of the system with a modern, certified solution, using more resistant materials and abandoning the wood of the original structure. The international public tender will be launched by the end of March 2027, and Carris expects the new elevator to be inaugurated in 2029. The intention is to preserve the equipment's historical identity and its relationship with Calçada da Glória, balancing heritage preservation with higher safety standards.
