A tragic railway accident has shocked Belgium. Four people have died: two teenagers, the vehicle driver, and another adult after a school minibus was hit by a train in the Flanders region, Belgium, as confirmed by the Belgian Minister of Transport and reported by the RTL network. The death toll corroborates the initial reports from the newspaper Le Soir, which already pointed to the severity of the accident at a level crossing in Buggenhout.
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Exactly nine people were on board the minibus: seven children, one adult companion, and the driver himself, according to data provided by the Federal Police. A spokesperson for the Flemish public transport company, De Lijn, detailed that the minibus operated as a subcontractor of their network and that the minors were enrolled in special education centers.
Although the death toll has already been disclosed at the government level, security forces on the ground are cautious about releasing identities. “We are not yet providing information about the victims. The first observations have already been made by the railway police,” said An Berger, spokesperson for the Federal Police. “The Prosecutor’s Office will go to the scene. A traffic expert and members of the forensic laboratory are also already on site,” added the spokesperson.
The driver tried to brake, but the impact was still strong
The collision occurred at a level crossing that, according to initial investigations, was closed at the time of the accident. The Belgian railway infrastructure manager, Infrabel, detailed that the train was coming from Bruges and heading towards Buggenhout. “The level crossing was one kilometer from the station, so the train had already started braking, but the impact was still very strong. The driver tried to perform an emergency brake, but it was already too late,” the company specified.
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The Interior Minister, Bernard Quintin, reacted promptly through the social network X after learning about the magnitude of the tragedy in Buggenhout: “My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. I wish strength to the injured.” Quintin also wanted to thank the rescue services for their “quick intervention” in the area.
Meanwhile, the Buggenhout City Council has activated the municipal emergency plan to coordinate assistance and psychological support efforts. Likewise, local authorities have set up a press center where they will appear in the coming hours to provide the final balance of this school tragedy.
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