Camilla Jessen
Horror in Lisbon as car carrying six youths bursts into fire.
Six people aged between 18 and 20 died in a car crash in central Lisbon.
The collision occurred at around 3:40 a.m. on Avenida das Forças Armadas, not far from the U.S. Embassy.
Police say all six victims were packed into a five-seat vehicle, with four seated in the back.
Fatal impact
According to Portugal’s Public Security Police (PSP), the vehicle left the roadway, hit a concrete pillar and immediately caught fire.
Local broadcaster RTP reported that an embassy security officer witnessed the crash and alerted emergency services.
Images from the scene showed the charred shell of the BMW, its roof removed as firefighters worked to reach those trapped inside.
Early reports from Portuguese media suggest the 19-year-old driver may have been “distracted” moments before losing control, and that at least one passenger was not wearing a seatbelt.
Victims identified
Officials later confirmed that all six occupants were from Angola.
The tragedy has reverberated through Lisbon’s Angolan community and prompted an official statement from the country’s ambassador to Portugal.
In a letter of condolence, Ambassador Maria de Jesus Ferreira described the victims as young people “with a bright future ahead of them.”
She expressed solidarity with the families, writing: “May the bereaved families find the strength to overcome this moment of immense grief, and may they receive all our solidarity.”
The Angolan Embassy said it is coordinating support for the families as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision.
Police have not yet issued further details on the cause but confirmed the investigation remains active.
Sources: RTP; PSP statements; Embassy of Angola, Express
