A train traveling at roughly 120 kilometers per hour slammed into a school minibus at a level crossing in Buggenhout, a small town about 30 kilometers northwest of Brussels, on Tuesday morning, killing four people including two children.
The dead were identified as the minibus driver, age 49, a 27-year-old chaperone, and two children ages 12 and 15, according to the East Flanders public prosecutor's office. Five other children on the bus were hospitalized in serious but stable condition. No one aboard the train was hurt, though one passenger was treated for shock.
According to CBS News, Frédéric Sacré, a spokesman for Belgian rail operator Infrabel, described the force of the impact. "The impact was extremely violent," Sacré told RTBF public broadcaster. He also said "The minibus was thrown about 15 meters (50 feet) into a metal pylon." The train had no time to brake before the collision.
Federal police spokeswoman An Berger said the minibus had been traveling on a street parallel to the railway when the driver turned left onto the level crossing while the barrier was already down. Security camera footage confirmed the lights were red and the barrier was closed at the moment of impact. Federal police said the bus driver appeared to have driven through the barrier. Infrabel said the crossing equipment had been functioning correctly.
Thomas Baeken, a spokesman for Belgian rail network Infrabel, told public broadcaster VRT that the train had been slowing as it approached Buggenhout station. "How this accident could have happened, we don't know. That is for the police and the public prosecutor's office to investigate," Baeken said.
The minibus was carrying students from a secondary school for children with special needs. An Associated Press reporter at the scene described the front section of the bus as crushed flat, with the vehicle lying on its side. Forensic experts in white protective suits photographed the scene while a forensics tent was set up nearby. The train itself was relatively unscathed.
Belgian officials responded quickly. Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot posted on X: "A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children." Prime Minister Bart De Wever posted that he was "deeply moved by the horrific accident ... My thoughts go out to the affected families." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was "heartbroken" and posted: "Today, Europe grieves with Belgium."
The mayor of Buggenhout, Geert Hermans, called for a minute of silence at a press conference to honor the victims. Belgian mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke confirmed the barriers had been down at the time of the crash. Flemish minister Annick De Ridder told Belgian TV it was too early to talk about responsibility. An investigation has been launched by the public prosecutor's office, with authorities questioning witnesses and reviewing security footage.
