Several people are feared dead after a train collided with a school minibus carrying children at a level crossing in northern Belgium on Tuesday morning, according to local officials.
The accident occurred in the village of Buggenhout, where emergency services rushed to the scene following the violent impact between the passenger train and the school transport vehicle.
Authorities said the minibus was carrying seven children, alongside a driver and a supervisor, when the crash happened around 8:08 a.m. (0608 GMT). Officials have not yet confirmed the exact number of fatalities, though multiple sources indicated there were deaths among the passengers.
Eyewitness images shared by Belgian media showed the severely damaged minibus overturned near the railway line, with emergency tents and response teams quickly deployed to the site as rescue efforts continued.
A police spokesperson confirmed the presence of children and staff on board but declined to provide a final casualty figure, saying investigations were still ongoing.
READ ALSO: Train Crash Shocks Spain, Leaves 21 Dead, Scores Injured
“The impact was extremely violent,” said police spokesman Frédéric Sacré, describing the scene as “tragic” and “devastating” for responders.
He explained that the train involved was not scheduled to stop at the crossing and was expected to reach the next station approximately one kilometre away at the time of the collision.
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin expressed sympathy for the victims and their families, writing on social media that his thoughts were with those affected by the incident.
Emergency services have since cordoned off the area as investigations continue into the cause of the crash, which has shocked the local community and raised fresh concerns about railway crossing safety in the region.