Accidents

Belgium: Four Killed in Train-School Bus Collision

Is this a case of individual recklessness or a symptom of Belgium's deeper rail crossing failures?

Published MAY 26

Belgium: Four Killed in Train-School Bus Collision

Story

Above: Emergency services at the railway crossing Vierhuizen, in Buggenhout, on May 26, 2026. Image credit: Dirk Waem/Belga Mag/Belga/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

A train struck a school minibus at a level crossing in Buggenhout, northern Belgium, on Tuesday morning, killing four people — two children aged 12 and 15, a 49-year-old driver and a 27-year-old supervisor.
France 24
The Bulletin
Five other children on the bus were hospitalized with severe injuries but were in stable condition, and no one aboard the train was hurt, though one passenger was treated for shock.
BBC News
Guardian
GB News
The children were traveling to Richtpunt, a special education school in Buggenhout. Federal police spokeswoman An Berger said the minibus had been on a street parallel to the railway before the driver turned left onto the crossing while the barrier was already down.
BBC News
Belga News Agency
Infrabel spokesman Frederic Sacre said "the impact was extremely violent," as the train was traveling at 120 kilometers per hour (74 miles per hour), and that "the minibus was thrown about 15 meters [49 feet] into a metal pylon." The train driver applied the emergency brake but could not avoid the collision.
Brusselstimes
EuroNews
Crux on Youtube
Infrabel confirmed that CCTV footage showed the crossing barriers were down and red lights were active at the time of the crash. The public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation, and a traffic expert has been assigned to examine the precise circumstances.
Brusselstimes
Dw.Com
In 2024, five people died in level crossing accidents in Belgium, the lowest figure since 2020, according to Infrabel. The rail operator has removed 450 level crossings over the past 21 years, leaving around 1,600 remaining on the network.
Dw.Com
Guardian
Daily Mail

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

A school minibus driver made a fatal decision to cross a lowered railway barrier in Buggenhout, killing four people. This wasn't a freak accident — the barriers were down, the warning was clear and the crossing was ignored. Five more children ended up hospitalized in serious condition because basic safety rules weren't followed.

Maxime Prévot on X

Jugando Pelota Dura on X

Narrative B

Belgium's rail crossing problem runs deeper than this tragedy — the country has one of the world's densest rail networks and a long, documented history of level crossing accidents. Stronger safety protocols and infrastructure upgrades at these crossings are long overdue. Blaming drivers isn't enough when the systemic risks are already well known.