A tragic collision between a passenger train and a school minibus at a level crossing in the Flemish town of Buggenhout on Tuesday morning has left four people dead and five children injured. The incident occurred around 8:15 AM local time, as the train, travelling from Bruges to Mechelen, approached the crossing at approximately 90 kilometres per hour.
According to Thomas Baeken, spokesperson for Infrabel, Belgium's railway infrastructure manager, the crossing was fully operational at the moment of impact. “The barriers were down, the lights were on red, and the bell was sounding,” Baeken told reporters. “Why the driver still proceeded onto the crossing is unknown at this stage.” He described the event as “one of the worst accidents in the history of Belgium at a level crossing.”
Victims and Response
The minibus was carrying nine passengers: seven children and two adults. It was en route to a school in Buggenhout that caters to children with special educational needs. Federal police spokesperson An Berger confirmed the fatalities: “Two children, aged 12 and 15, lost their lives. The driver and the assistant also died.” The five injured children were taken to hospital; their lives are not in danger, Berger added.
The train carried around 100 passengers. All were evacuated, and none were injured, according to Dimitri Temmerman, spokesperson for the National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB). The train driver applied emergency brakes but could not avoid the crash. The bus was catapulted into a pole before coming to rest against a nearby house.
Safety and Investigation
Infrabel confirmed that the level crossing was equipped with two barriers, four red lights, and audible warning signals. The crossing had been closed for some time before the bus entered, Baeken said. The last accident at this particular crossing occurred in 2007.
Belgium has nearly 1,600 level crossings, each with safety equipment determined by Infrabel and the government. Across the European Union, norms vary: Belgium uses two red lights and one white light, while France, for example, uses only one red light and no white light, noted Vincent Godeau, Infrabel security advisor.
An investigation has been opened to clarify the circumstances. The tragedy comes amid a broader context of declining accidents at Belgian level crossings—around 20 incidents were reported last year—but highlights persistent risks. The incident also echoes broader European concerns about transport safety, as seen in recent landmark rulings on corporate liability in aviation disasters.
Local authorities have offered support to the affected families and the school community. The crash has prompted renewed calls for enhanced safety measures at level crossings, particularly near schools. As the investigation proceeds, questions remain about driver behaviour and the adequacy of existing warning systems.
