Train Collision with School Van in Belgium Results in Four Fatalities

On May 26, 2026, a tragic accident occurred near Brussels, Belgium. A train collided with a van transporting schoolchildren, resulting in the deaths of two children and two adults.

The accident took place in Buggenhout, a small town less than 20 miles from Brussels. The van carried students attending a special education school. Kurt Moens, a deputy for East Flanders province responsible for education, spoke at a news conference about the incident.

“We are heartbroken,” said Thomas Baeken, spokesperson for Infrabel.

According to local reports, seven children, a driver, and a counselor were in the van. Despite the barriers being down and red lights signaling a crossing, the van bypassed them and moved onto the tracks. The train’s emergency brake was deployed but could not prevent the collision. Images from the cameras at the crossing will be used in an investigation.

Among the deceased were two children, aged 12 and 15, a 49-year-old driver, and a 27-year-old counselor, confirmed Lisa De Wilde from the East Flanders public prosecutor’s office.

Five minors were taken to the hospital in critical condition but stabilized by the time of the news conference at 1 p.m. Belgian and European officials expressed condolences, with Bernard Quintin, Belgian interior minister, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Union’s executive arm, sharing their sympathies on social media.

A correction was issued regarding the date of a photo caption. The image was taken on Tuesday, not Thursday.