Brutal Accident Between Train and School Bus Shocks All of Belgium

• Train Accident Leaves People Dead in Belgium
• Minors Remain Hospitalized
• Belgium Investigates School Tragedy

A railway tragedy shook Belgium on Tuesday after a passenger train collided with a school minibus in the town of Buggenhout, located in the northern part of the country.

The accident left four people dead.

Among the fatal victims were the minibus driver, an accompanying adult, and two minors.

The collision occurred around 8:15 a.m. local time.

Authorities confirmed that five other children were taken to hospitals in serious and critical condition.

Despite the severity of their injuries, Buggenhout Mayor Geert Hermans said the minors are stable.

“At this moment, their condition is stable,” he said.

Authorities Investigate How the Railway Crash Happened

According to the EFE news agency, the East Flanders Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation to determine the exact causes of the railway crash.

A spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor’s Office explained that the minibus was traveling on a road parallel to the railway line.

It then attempted to turn left to cross the train tracks.

Authorities confirmed that the level crossing was closed at that moment.

They also said the red signal was on.

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“The level crossing was indeed closed, and the bus, for reasons I do not know and that the judicial investigation will determine, forced its way through,” Belgian Transport Minister Jean-Luc Crucke said.

The official added that the train was approaching just as the vehicle attempted to cross.

“There was a train arriving at that moment; under those conditions, the accident was inevitable,” he said.

The Prosecutor’s Office appointed a traffic expert to clarify how the tragedy could have occurred.

The goal will be to reconstruct the events and determine responsibility.

Cameras and Possible Witnesses to the Train Collision Will Be Reviewed

Authorities said there are still many doubts about what happened.

For that reason, several investigative steps will be carried out in the accident area.

“What we do know is that the barrier was closed and the red signal was on,” the Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson said.

However, she added that the exact circumstances of the railway crash still need to be established.

The forensic laboratory was also sent to the site to collect evidence.

Among the planned actions is the review of security camera footage.

In addition, investigators will look for possible witnesses who may have seen the moment of impact.

“The most important thing now is to determine how this could have happened,” the spokesperson insisted.

Belgian federal police are also participating in the investigations opened after the accident.

School Declares Day of Absolute Mourning

The minibus was transporting students from the Richtpunt Campus Buggenhout educational center.

The institution is dedicated to special education for students with behavioral disorders, emotional disorders, and ASD.

After learning of the tragedy, the school publicly expressed its grief.

“It is a day of absolute mourning for our school,” a spokesperson for the educational center told local media.

The emotional impact also reached the passengers on the train involved.

Authorities confirmed that nearly one hundred people were traveling on the train at the time of the accident.

None of the passengers was physically injured.

However, one of them had to receive medical attention due to the shock caused by what happened.

As investigations continue, Belgium remains shaken by one of the most shocking railway tragedies recently recorded in the country.