On Friday morning, a serious disaster in Veldegem (Zedelgem) was narrowly averted thanks to the alert response of a De Lijn bus driver.
A bus with twenty children on board came to a standstill in the middle of a railway crossing due to a technical defect. While an oncoming train approached at breakneck speed, the driver managed to get all passengers to safety in time. The train eventually collided with the empty bus, causing heavy damage to the vehicle and partial derailment of the train. Mayor Annick Vermeulen speaks of a “miracle” that no one was killed.
evacuation
The bus was carrying a group of schoolchildren when it suddenly stopped right at the railway crossing. The driver, whose name has not yet been released, acted quickly, according to eyewitnesses. He immediately ordered the bus to be evacuated and helped the children cross to a safe place. Barely seconds after the last evacuation, the train slammed into the stationary bus.
“A catastrophe was avoided here,” Mayor Annick Vermeulen said. “The driver deserves all the praise. With his decisive action, he prevented a tragedy.” The children, who were shocked but unharmed, were taken to a nearby building where they were reassured by emergency services and school staff.
train derails
The train, which was travelling towards Bruges, was carrying around twenty passengers at the time of the collision. The impact caused the front axle of the train to derail. “One or two train passengers suffered minor injuries,” said Bart Crols, spokesman for NMBS. “These people were treated on the spot and then taken to a hospital for further examination.”
Heroic driver prevents drama at level crossing in Veldegem.
The derailment caused considerable damage to both the track and the surrounding area. An inspection of the site revealed that major repairs are needed before train traffic can be resumed. The route between Lichtervelde and Bruges is expected to remain closed in both directions for the entire day.
Rail infrastructure manager Infrabel has now deployed a team of technicians to repair the damage. “The front wheel axle of the train has derailed and must first be put back on the rails,” explains Thomas Baeken of Infrabel. “Then it will be determined whether the train can continue independently or whether it must be towed away. In the meantime, the damaged infrastructure is also being addressed, such as the barriers, the track itself and the cables.”
Replacement buses have been deployed to accommodate the flow of passengers. Passengers are being taken to their destination by taxi buses. NMBS calls on passengers to take into account significant delays and to seek alternative routes if possible.
aftercare
Although the incident ended well, the impact remains great. Both the children and their parents were cared for by emergency services and psychologists. The mayor announced that the incident will be evaluated extensively. "We need to investigate how this could have happened," said Vermeulen in a first reaction in the Nieuwsblad. “We also need to look at how we can prevent these kinds of situations in the future.” De Lijn has also announced that it will launch an internal investigation into the cause of the bus defect. “The safety of our passengers is our highest priority,” a spokesperson said.
