Brussels train crash: at least 20 people feared dead

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Brussels train crash: at least 20 people feared dead

At least 20 passengers are feared dead after two trains crashed head-on in a suburb of the Belgian capital Brussels

The two rush-hour commuter trains collided in a suburban Brussels station.
There was no immediate word on the cause of Monday's crash at the station of Buizingen, a town nine miles south-west of the Belgian capital.
The town's mayor confirmed a report on Belgium's VRT television which claimed 20 people had died in the accident, with many more injured.

The incident took place amid poor weather conditions after heavy snow hit the region.
Belgian railway authorities said the crash caused major damage to overhead power lines at the station.

Rail traffic from Brussels to south-western Belgium and the high-speed line between Brussels and Paris have been suspended as the emergency services work to free survivors.

It was not immediately clear if the accident would have any impact on Eurostar services.

[The Lawspeaker]

Dutch press announces that the number of casualties could rise to 25...

[The Lawspeaker]

Belgian Train Crash - Belgium latest news and updates

Called the worst train crash in Belgium in 50 years, two trains - a commuter train and an inter city express train, collided head on, after the former ran through a red signal. The train tore into the other, killing at least 18 and injuring 125


TILL NOW, 18 people are dead in what is being called as the worst train crash in Belgium in the past 50 years. A commuter train had collided head on with an inter city express train, after the former ran through a red signal. The commuter train ploughed into the other, tearing the metal side and destorying one carriage.

Out of the 18 confirmed dead 15 are men and three are women. The incident is feared to have had at least 25 casualties and emergency services are still taking out bodies. 125 people have been treated for injures - 60 have been hospitalised so far and 10 have sustained serious injuries.

The incident which took place near Buizingen station, nines miles from Brussels, has left the tracks littered with bodies. Two carriages were also driven into the power lines above. The crash between the trains which carried about 300 passengers in total, took place during the rush hour at 8:30 AM local time.

Patricia Lallemand, 40, a witness to the tragedy said, "There was a big bang, a violent collision with no braking. And, then there was chaos. In our coach the injuries were light, with people wounded in the lower legs and head. When we left the train, we could see the wreckage of the coaches in front of us. I could see many seriously injured and one legless corpse thrown to the side of the track. The second coach had fallen over and the first was totally smashed. It was horrible, there was carnage and people were crying from inside the wreckage."

Officials are saying that the train crash happened due to driver error, with missed red light leading to the tragedy. Though the rail track, line 96, had an automatic braking system, the commuter train, which was plying from Leuven did not, allowing the driver to bypass the red light. The drivers of both the trains may have perished in the train crash.
The tragedy could have been far bigger, if the third train, which was nearby had not made an emergency stop.

Meanwhile, Eurostar has suspended all services from Brussels and this will most likely, continue on Tuesday. Large scale cancellations are also happening on international routes.