Four people, including two children, have died after a train collided with a school bus in Belgium. The accident occurred on Tuesday morning, May 26, at a railroad crossing in Buggenhout, approximately 15 miles northwest of Brussels, near the town's train station, according to Reuters.
Sky News reported that there were nine people on the bus at the time: a driver, a chaperone, and seven children believed to be of middle school and high school age. Transport Minister Jean-Luc Crucke first announced the four deaths via Reuters.
At a press conference shortly after, a spokesperson for the public prosecutor confirmed, through Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, that the victims included two students aged 12 and 15, the 49-year-old bus driver, and a 27-year-old chaperone. They added that five students had been taken to the hospital with serious injuries and are in critical but stable condition.
According to the newspaper, the students were heading to Richtpunt campus Buggenhout, a special education school located less than a mile from the railroad crossing.
Thomas Baeken of rail track operator Infrabel told local outlet VRT NWS, "The collision took place at 8:08 a.m. Footage shows that the barriers were down and the traffic lights were red. We do not know how the accident could have happened." He continued, "The train was already braking. The train driver did apply the emergency brake, but was unable to avoid a collision." Baeken said they are trying to understand why the bus continued, and confirmed that Infrabel would cooperate with the police investigation.
Baeken added that there were about 100 passengers on the train at the time, but no casualties. One person has been taken to the hospital for shock. Some trains have been cancelled following the crash, with replacement buses being deployed, reported VRT NWS.
Officials have shared their sorrow and paid tribute to the victims. "My first thoughts are with the victims, but also with those who were injured and their families," said Crucke when announcing the deaths. Belgium's Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, wrote on X, "Deeply moved by the horrific accident in Buggenhout. My thoughts go out to the affected families."
Buggenhout mayor Geert Hermans said, via Het Nieuwsblad, that the local community had been "hit hard" by the tragedy and thanked the emergency services for their efforts. "With great dismay, I learnt of the tragic accident in Buggenhout, where a school bus was struck by a train. My thoughts go out to the victims and their loved ones. I wish the injured much strength," Belgium's interior minister Bernard Quintin wrote on X.
