Four people killed in train collision with Belgian school bus

BRUSSELS — Four people, including two teenagers, were killed in Belgium on Tuesday when a train crashed into a school bus on a level-crossing near the town of Buggenhout, RTL TV reported, citing Transport Minister Jean-Luc Crucke.

The victims also included the bus driver and an adult accompanying the pupils, RTL quoted Crucke as saying. Two other people were also severely injured, he added.

The accident occurred early on Tuesday at a level-crossing near Buggenhout station, about 23 kilometers (14.29 miles) from Brussels. Crucke said security cameras showed that the crossing's security barriers had come down.

Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said on X that "it is with deep sadness that I learned of the tragic accident that occurred in Buggenhout."

Spokespeople for the Belgian police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Belgium, where a dense railway network crisscrosses towns and villages, has a history of accidents at level-crossings.

Five people died in such accidents in 2025, railway infrastructure operator Infrabel says on its website, the lowest number recorded since 2020. — Reuters