A devastating traffic accident has shaken Belgium, after a commuter train collided with a school minibus at a railway crossing in the small Flemish town of Buggenhout on Tuesday morning, leaving four people dead and multiple others injured, senior national officials have confirmed. Among the fatalities are two children, whose deaths have sparked an outpouring of grief across the country and from European leadership.
Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot was among the first senior officials to confirm the details of the tragedy, sharing the news on social media platform X early Tuesday. “A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children,” Prevot wrote.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever quickly responded to the incident, saying he was deeply shaken by the horrific crash. “I am deeply moved by the horrific accident… My thoughts go out to the affected families,” De Wever posted on social media.
Pictures from the accident site, located in northern Belgium’s Flanders region, paint a grim picture of the collision’s force: the minibus lies overturned on its side beside the railway track, its structure heavily crumpled, while emergency response teams have erected isolation tents around the crash zone. The passenger commuter train involved in the collision remained stationary on the tracks in the hours after the incident as investigators began their work.
Local police spokesperson An Berger clarified the full passenger count of the minibus for Belgian media outlets: seven children, one adult supervisor, and the minibus driver were on board at the time of the crash. Crucially, Berger added that no passengers or crew on the commuter train suffered any injuries.
Frederic Sacre, spokesperson for Infrabel, Belgium’s national rail infrastructure manager, described the extreme force of the impact to reporters from Agence France-Presse. At the time of the collision, the train was traveling at 120 kilometers per hour, roughly 75 miles per hour. “The minibus was thrown about 15 metres (50 feet) into a metal pylon,” Sacre said. To date, that is the most detailed description of the collision’s mechanics released by an official.
Sacre also shared a key early update on the investigation’s findings, confirming that preliminary review of site footage shows active crossing safety measures were active at the time of the incident. “The barriers at the crossing had been closed and a red light was showing,” Sacre said. Early reports from multiple Belgian media outlets have added that the seven children on board the minibus attended a local school for children with learning disabilities, adding another layer of gravity to the tragedy.
Senior leaders across the political spectrum, both national and European, have united to offer condolences and support. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin expressed his profound sorrow over what he called an unthinkable tragedy, writing on X that his thoughts were with the victims and their families. “I wish the injured much strength,” Quintin added, also offering public thanks to first responders and emergency service workers for their rapid response to the crash.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, added her voice to the chorus of condolence, saying she was heartbroken by the news of the collision. “My deepest condolences go out to the victims’ families and their loved ones,” von der Leyen posted on social media. “Today, Europe grieves with Belgium.”