One cable reportedly snapped, causing the lower car to derail
AN American MOM and college professor has been identified as one of the 16 people killed in a tram crash in Lisbon, Portugal, on Wednesday.
A historic funicular tram derailed and crashed into a building during Lisbon’s evening rush hour killing 16 people and leaving dozens injured.
Among the dead was Heather Hall, a South Carolina college professor and mother, the only American victim in the disaster.
The 19th-century Elevador da Glória streetcar came off the rails just after 6 pm, smashing into a hotel and leaving the city in shock.
Portugal’s Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations said a preliminary technical report on the crash would be released Saturday.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro called it “one of the biggest tragedies of our recent past.”
Authorities confirmed the fatalities include five Portuguese citizens, three British, two Canadians, two South Koreans, one French, one Swiss, and one Ukrainian.
An additional 21 people were injured, five in serious condition, Portugal’s National Health Service told the Associated Press.
Hall was attending a conference in Lisbon when the tragedy struck, the College of Charleston told The Daily Mail.
A professor in the education department, Hall specialized in special education and returned to teach at her alma mater in 2019.
Fran Welch, dean of the School of Education, called her a “dynamic instructor” who shared a love of travel with her students.
Hall had taught abroad in Ghana as a Fulbright Scholar and organized study trips for her students to Europe, Central America, and Africa.
Her family described her as a mother who “believed in them with all her heart” and embraced life with “curiosity, compassion, and open hearts.”
Outside academics, Hall performed with Heart: An Inclusive Arts Community, supporting adult artists with disabilities.
Colleagues remembered Hall as fun-loving and dedicated.
Bridget Miller, a USC professor, said Hall “adored” her students and taught her how to manage them on international trips.
Professor Yasha Jones Becton, her dissertation advisor, called Hall “a passionate educator and an even more passionate mother.”
Jennifer Morrison, a former professor, described Hall as a “ray of sunshine” and said they had spoken shortly before Hall left for Portugal.
What Happened?
The crash occurred when the packed funicular, carrying at least 38 people, hurtled downhill “out of control,” witnesses said.
The Glória line operates with two cars attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable.
One cable reportedly snapped, causing the lower car to derail.
“The car at the top seems to have broken free and come out of what we call the suspension. It literally rolled down the hill like a car with no brakes,” said Professor Dave Cooper, UK cableway standards chair.
The streetcar struck a slight curve and crashed into a hotel, crumpling on impact.
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/15131908/lisbon-tram-tragedy-american-citizen-killed-south-carolina/