A devastating train collision in Belgium has claimed the lives of four people, including two special needs students, after a passenger train crashed into a school minivan at a railway crossing in the town of Buggenhout on Tuesday morning.
Authorities confirmed that the victims included two boys aged 12 and 15, the 49-year-old minivan driver and a 27-year-old female chaperone accompanying the children to school.
Five other schoolboys suffered serious injuries in the horrific accident, prompting local prosecutors to launch an official investigation into the tragedy.
Images from the scene showed a badly mangled white minivan lying on its side beside the railway tracks, with its front section completely crushed from the impact.
Police spokesperson An Berger said the safety barriers at the railway crossing were lowered when the crash occurred, although investigators are still trying to determine how the vehicle ended up on the tracks.
The train, carrying more than 100 passengers, did not report any major injuries among those onboard.
Authorities said an autopsy will be conducted on the minivan driver, while the train driver tested negative for both drugs and alcohol.
Buggenhout mayor Geert Hermans announced that condolence books would be opened for grieving residents and urged the public to respect the privacy of the victims’ families during this difficult period.
Local transport operator De Lijn stated that the minivan involved in the crash had no mechanical problems, while the driver was reportedly medically fit, fully trained and had a clean driving record.
A colleague of the deceased driver described the tragedy as a heartbreaking accident that “could happen to anyone.”
Residents living near the railway crossing said the area is often congested during morning rush hour, with several roads converging at the same location.
One witness described hearing a loud bang before seeing emergency personnel desperately attempting to resuscitate victims at the scene.
The crash occurred near Buggenhout station, located around 23 kilometres north of Brussels, while the vehicle was transporting seven pupils to school.
A spokesperson for railway infrastructure operator Infrabel said the train driver had activated emergency brakes before impact, but the collision was “extremely violent.”
Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen expressed condolences following the tragedy, saying: “Today, Europe grieves with Belgium.”
Belgium has recorded numerous railway crossing accidents in recent years, with official data showing 36 deaths from 168 incidents since 2021.
