6 Dead in Horrific ‘Fireball’ Crash Near US Embassy

A devastating car crash near the U.S. Embassy early Sunday morning left six young people dead after their BMW erupted into flames moments after impact.

According to Lisbon’s emergency services, all six victims — three men and three women between 18 and 20 years old — were killed instantly when the car lost control on Avenida das Forças Armadas, also known as Armed Forces Avenue.

“It was a complete fireball,” one firefighter told Portuguese network SIC Notícias. “By the time we arrived, the car was already engulfed in flames.”

Police believe the driver may have become distracted before veering off the road and slamming into a concrete barrier around 3:40 a.m. The impact sparked an inferno that consumed the vehicle within seconds, leaving nothing but a charred frame.

Images from the scene show a blackened shell of the BMW surrounded by emergency personnel. Firefighters reportedly had to cut off the roof to reach the victims trapped inside.

A witness told local media he heard “a loud explosion” before seeing flames light up the street. “It sounded like a bomb went off,” he said. “Then I saw the fire and knew it was too late for anyone inside.”

Authorities have not yet released the nationalities of the victims, and forensic teams continued to work at the crash site well into the morning as the area remained sealed off.

The U.S. Embassy, located just steps from the crash site, confirmed its staff were safe but declined to comment further.

Portugal’s National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) reported that nearly 132,000 traffic accidents have occurred across the country this year alone, killing at least 388 people — a sobering reminder of the nation’s ongoing road safety crisis.

The horrific crash comes only days after two firefighters were killed when their truck skidded off a mountain road and plunged into a ravine during an emergency call in northern Portugal. Three others were seriously injured.

Local residents are calling for stronger safety measures and increased nighttime patrols on Lisbon’s major roads. “These were kids,” said one mourner at the crash site. “They should have had their whole lives ahead of them.”

Authorities are expected to release more details in the coming days as investigators work to determine whether speed, distraction, or alcohol played a role in the tragedy.

Source: SIC Notícias, ANSR, local media reports