Train Crushes School Minibus in Northern Belgium – Four Dead, Including Two Children

A commuter train slammed into a school minibus in northern Belgium on Tuesday, killing four people – including two children – in what officials are calling a horrific accident. The crash occurred at a railway crossing in Buggenhout, a Dutch-speaking municipality approximately 25 kilometers northwest of Brussels.

Belgium's deputy prime minister, Maxime Prevot, confirmed the death toll on social media, stating that four people had been killed, including two children. Prime Minister Bart De Wever posted that he was deeply moved by the horrific accident, with his thoughts going out to the affected families. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear, and the public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.

Images from the scene in the Flanders region showed a badly damaged minibus lying on its side on a road next to a railway line. Tents had been set up by emergency workers around the area. The commuter train remained halted on the tracks as forensic teams examined the site. Belgium's Infrabel rail agency said footage from the scene showed that the barriers at the crossing had been closed and a red light was showing at the time of the incident.

"The impact was extremely violent," Infrabel spokesman Frederic Sacre told the AFP news agency. He added that the train was traveling at 120 kilometers per hour. "The minibus was thrown about 15 meters into a metal pylon," he said.

The vehicle was carrying seven pupils from a school for children with learning disabilities, authorities told a press conference. According to Lisa De Wilde, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office, two students – aged 15 and 12 – were killed in the impact, along with the 49-year-old driver and a 27-year-old supervisor. The other five children on board were taken to a local hospital, where they remained in stable condition after sustaining severe injuries. Police spokeswoman An Berger confirmed that their lives were not in danger. No one on the train was hurt.

Belgian interior minister Bernard Quintin expressed his deep sadness over the tragic accident, writing on social media that his thoughts go out to the victims and their loved ones. He wished the injured much strength and thanked emergency services for their work. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen joined the stream of commiserations from politicians, saying she was "heartbroken" by the collision. She offered her deepest condolences to the victims' families and noted that Europe grieves with Belgium.

For now, a railway crossing in Buggenhout has become a scene of forensic tents and shattered metal. Two teenagers, a driver, and a supervisor are dead. Five more children are in hospital beds. The barriers were down. The light was red. The train was moving at 120 kilometers per hour. And someone, somewhere, will have to explain how any of that still added up to tragedy.

Written by Thomas Nussbaumer