In the early hours of Tuesday, a tragic accident unfolded at a railway level crossing in Buggenhout, a small town northwest of Brussels. A school minibus – which had just left with seven secondary‑school pupils, a driver, and a chaperone – steered onto the crossing while its barriers were already lowered. The bus crashed into a passing train and turned onto its side.
The collision left four people dead, including two of the children on board. The victims were the children and two adults. Police report that no one on the train was injured; one train crew member was treated for shock.
Belgian Mobility Minister Jean‑Luc Crucke expressed his condolences and confirmed that the barriers had been in the lowered position at the time of the incident. My first thoughts are with the victims, he said. Federal Police spokeswoman An Berger described the route: the minibus was traveling on a street parallel to the railway before turning left onto the crossing.
The bus was heading to a special education school. The crash occurred shortly after 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT). The accident, which has already drawn headlines across Europe, underscores the importance of stringent safety protocols at railway level crossings.
Education Minister Zuhal Demir tweeted, What heartbreaking news. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and everyone involved. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also shared her grief: Today, Europe grieves with Belgium.\
The collision left four people dead, including two of the children on board. The victims were the children and two adults. Police report that no one on the train was injured; one train crew member was treated for shock.
Belgian Mobility Minister Jean‑Luc Crucke expressed his condolences and confirmed that the barriers had been in the lowered position at the time of the incident. My first thoughts are with the victims, he said. Federal Police spokeswoman An Berger described the route: the minibus was traveling on a street parallel to the railway before turning left onto the crossing.
The bus was heading to a special education school. The crash occurred shortly after 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT). The accident, which has already drawn headlines across Europe, underscores the importance of stringent safety protocols at railway level crossings.
Education Minister Zuhal Demir tweeted, What heartbreaking news. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and everyone involved. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also shared her grief: Today, Europe grieves with Belgium.\
