Four Killed As School Minibus Collides With Train In Belgium

The bus was carrying seven children, a driver, 49, and a chaperone, 27, at the time of the collision, which took place shortly after 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

Federal police spokeswoman An Berger said it had been on its way to a special education school.

Belgian mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke confirmed reports that the barriers on a level crossing had been down when the crash happened.

The other five children who were on the bus were in a critical but stable condition in hospital, the public prosecutor’s spokeswoman said.

She added that an investigation has been launched into the incident.

Berger said the minibus had been travelling on a street parallel to the railway and then the driver turned left on to the level crossing while the barrier was already down.

At that point, a train was heading through the small town of Buggenhout and ran into the minibus.

The impact of the crash was extremely violent, as the train was travelling at about 90km/h (55mph). The minibus collided with a pole before being thrown some distance into the driveway of a nearby house.

Nobody on the train was hurt, although one person was being treated for shock, according to Berger.

The train remained stationary at the level crossing, as investigators carried out their work.