Luís Montenegro: “There must be no political exploitation of this tragedy”

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said this Thursday that the accident with the Glória elevator “is one of the greatest human tragedies in our recent history.”

"Portugal has been shaken by a terrible accident. It is one of the greatest human tragedies in our recent history," began the head of government, alongside Carlos Moedas, who attended the Council of Ministers meeting.

The Prime Minister revealed that the Government "has been monitoring the situation from the outset and expects a swift response from the entities involved. We appreciate the efforts of all those involved in helping the victims."

"The appropriate authorities will investigate the causes of this accident. This tragedy must not be fueled to create divisions or for political gain," warned Luís Montenegro.

Wednesday's accident at the Glória elevator left 17 dead and 21 injured.

According to the director of the Lisbon Municipal Civil Protection Service, Margarida Castro Martins, of the 38 people affected by the accident, 15 died on Wednesday and 23 were transported or traveled by their own means to hospitals, two of whom ended up dying during the night.

The Government declared a day of national mourning this Thursday.

The Glória elevator is operated by Carris, connects Restauradores to the Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara, in Bairro Alto, on a route of approximately 265 meters and is very popular with tourists.