Porto tram accident

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In the tram accident in Porto on December 10, 1911, 15 people died.

Starting position

The tram that was on the way to Leixões consisted of a leading railcar and two sidecars . The tram driver had little experience. The tram was full of travelers of the British steamship Antony that had moored in the morning in the port of Leixões, the time spent of the ship to shore had used and now returned to the ship.

In the port district of Massarelos in Porto , the line of the electric tram from Leça to Porto led to the banks of the Douro , then took a sharp curve and ran right along the river. The superstructure of the tram line was in poor condition. In addition, it had rained heavily shortly before and a lot of sand had been washed into the ruts of the rails .

the accident

The driver braked himself and drove at excessive speed into the curve from which the vehicle was carried out and derailed . It overturned and toppled into the Douro , pulling the two sidecars with it into the river. The driver had jumped off shortly before and committed hit and miss , but was arrested shortly afterwards .

consequences

15 people died in the accident , 40 others were injured. It took the fire brigade all night to remove the dead and the vehicles from the river. The population's outrage against the tram company was so great that violence was feared: the military had to guard the offices and workshops.

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