Brussels: A train slammed into a school bus in northern Belgium on Tuesday morning, leaving multiple people feared dead and several others injured, officials and local media reported. Emergency crews rushed to the crash site in Buggenhout after the collision caused the minibus to overturn.

Belgium’s interior minister Bernard Quintin said he learned of the incident “with great dismay”, calling it a tragic accident.

Officials confirm a violent impact

The crash occurred at a level crossing in the Flanders region shortly after 8 am, according to AFP, which spoke with a spokesperson for rail operator Infrabel.

Spokesperson Frederic Sacre described the collision as extremely severe, noting that “the impact was extremely violent” and calling the toll “dramatic”. He said the train had been approaching its next scheduled stop roughly a kilometre from the crossing.

The police declined to provide casualty numbers when contacted by AFP, but local reports indicated fatalities.

Local media report at least four deaths

According to Belgian and international outlets, at least four people were killed in the crash. The Standard reported that two teenagers, the bus driver and another adult were among the dead.

RT India cited Infrabel as saying the level-crossing barriers were in the lowered position and the warning lights functioning when the train struck the bus.

Local reports said the train, which had around 100 passengers on board and was travelling from Bruges, was safely evacuated after the crash.

Images from the scene show overturned vehicle

Photos circulating on social media showed the mangled and overturned school bus at the crash site. Sky News shared video on X, capturing emergency teams working around the wreckage following the collision in Buggenhout.

In an earlier statement posted on X, Interior Minister Quintin said: “With great dismay, I learnt of the tragic accident in Buggenhout, where a school bus was struck by a train. My thoughts go out to the victims and their loved ones. I wish the injured much strength.”

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday she was "heartbroken" by a crash between a train and school minibus in Belgium, which officials said left several people dead.

"My deepest condolences go out to the victims' families and their loved ones. Today, Europe grieves with Belgium," the European Commission president posted online.

Belgium, which is covered by an extensive rail network cutting through numerous towns and villages, has long faced risks at level crossings. According to rail operator Infrabel, five people lost their lives in such incidents in 2025, the lowest figure reported since 2020.

(With AFP inputs)