A devastating collision in Buggenhout, Belgium, has left four people dead after a school minibus driver disregarded clear safety warnings at a railway crossing.
According to Belgian mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke and rail network spokesperson Thomas Baeken, the barriers at the level crossing were fully lowered and the warning lights were red when the minibus driver turned onto the tracks.
CCTV footage reportedly shows the minibus striking the barrier before entering the path of a train traveling at approximately 90km/h. The impact was violent, throwing the vehicle into a nearby driveway. The crash claimed the lives of two children, aged 12 and 15, the 49-year-old driver, and a 27-year-old chaperone.
Five other children remain in critical but stable condition. While authorities are conducting a formal investigation into the circumstances, the evidence currently points to a catastrophic failure to adhere to basic traffic safety protocols.
No passengers on the train were injured in the incident, which serves as a grim reminder of the lethal consequences that follow when established safety measures are ignored.
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