A tragic accident occurred on Tuesday in Belgium when a train collided with a school bus in the town of Buggenhout, killing four people, including two teenagers, the bus driver, and another adult. The crash happened around 8:08 a.m. at a level crossing in the northern Flanders region. Several others were injured in the incident, according to officials.
According to reports, the train struck a minibus that was carrying passengers and was expected to stop at the next station, located about a kilometre away. Belgium’s Transport Minister confirmed the identities of the victims, while Interior Minister Bernard Quintin expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy in a post on X, offering condolences to the victims’ families and wishing strength to the injured. Emergency services rushed to the scene immediately after the collision, launching rescue and relief operations. A spokesperson for rail network operator Infrabel, Frederic Sacre, described the impact as “extremely violent” and the situation as “dramatic.”
The devastating accident has raised concerns about safety at railway level crossings in Belgium. Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash, while the nation mourns the loss of lives in this heartbreaking incident.