Officials say several people were killed when a train hit a school mini bus carrying seven children in northern Belgium.
Two sources said that there were several fatalities among those on the bus after the collision at a level crossing in the village of Buggenhout.
Belgian media showed images of a badly damaged minibus lying on its side on a road next to a railway line, with tents set up by emergency workers around.
A police spokeswoman told the media that seven children, a supervisor and a driver were aboard the mini bus. The Belgian police refused to confirm the casualty toll from the incident.
Spokesman Frederic Sacre says that the impact was extremely violent, describing the toll as “dramatic”.
He further added that the incident happened at around 8 am when a minibus was struck by a train that was due to stop at the next station, which was about a kilometre away.
Belgian interior minister, Bernard Quintin in a statement says that his condolences goes to the victims and their loved ones.
