Ten people, including one child, were seriously injured after being hit by a car at the beginning of Saturday night in Rua Pinheiro e Rosa, near the centre of Loulé.
Faro's Relief Operations Command said an alert was received at 7.10 pm. The street was busy with people leaving Mass.
The female driver, 42, said she had, “lost control of the car,” a Renault Modus, which ploughed into the pedestrians. She was leaving a parking space, hit the accelerator pedal instead of the break and careered off, along the pavement.
"I heard a loud acceleration, and when I got out, I just heard screams and people on the ground," said one of the residents, who was among the first on the scene, adding, "There were 9 or 10 people on the ground and one under the car."
The Loulé Bombeiros, GNR, an emergency medical team and members of the Red Cross all attended the scene.
The victims were taken to Faro and Portimão hospitals, and one to the local health centre. The GNR confirmed that one of the injured is a child.
