Lisbon tram crash: British tourists among 28 injured after carriage derails in Portuguese capital

Passengers escape without serious injuries after rush hour incident

Witnesses saw people a baby and child to safety from the wreckage of the tram (Francisco Moura Pinheiro/screengrab)

Several British tourists are thought to be among 28 people who were injured after a tram derailed and flipped over in the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

Officials say the tram flew off the rails on a bend at the bottom of a steep hill during rush hour in the Lapa area of the city on Friday evening.

It struck a building, before falling on its side – initially trapping around a dozen people inside the wreckage and throwing others to the pavement.

Local media outlets reported a number of British tourists, including two children, had been on the tram at the time of the incident.

Witnesses saw people passing a rescued baby and child from inside the stricken the tram, Portuguese newspaper Publico reported.

Tiago Lopes, commander of the Regiment of Firefighters of Lisbon, said 28 people on board had received minor injuries in the crash, but no one appeared seriously hurt.

“There are no critical victims, they are all light victims. All of them have been sent to the hospital or are waiting for re-routing,” he told a press conference, according to Porto-based newspaper Jornal de Notícias.

INEM, the Portuguese ambulance service, said 26 of the individuals had been taken directly to hospital following the crash, while two had been treated at the scene.

Mr Lopoes added the ages of those hurt in the crash were “very disparate”, ranging from “children of young age to people of some age”.

Electric trams are a common form of transport in Lisbon, with six lines serving large parts of the city.

Additional reporting by AP