By Patricia Maresch, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – An accident with the bonde (streetcar) that runs from Santa Teresa to Largo da Carioca in downtown Rio de Janeiro took the life of five people, and left 57 passengers injured, after derailing and flipped over Saturday evening.
The driver of the bonde survived the accident, but died in the ambulance. Sixteen victims were taken to various hospitals, of which ten are said to be in critical condition.
The bonde was completely full with passengers and was going downhill taking a turn when it lost control. According to witnesses the bonde’s brakes appeared to not work.
Rio’s Secretary of Transportation, Julio Lopes, appeared at the scene of the accident and said all rides with the bonde will be suspended until the police have investigated the cause of the accident.
This is not the first accident with the bonde this year. In June a French tourist died after falling to his death from the bonde when the streetcar passed the Arcos da Lapa.
Read more (in Portuguese).
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