An alert bus driver avoided a disaster at a level crossing in Veldegem (Zedelgem) in West Flanders on Friday morning. A De Lijn bus with about twenty children on board broke down there. The driver was able to evacuate everyone just before the bus was rammed by an oncoming train. “A catastrophe has been avoided here,” says Mayor Annick Vermeulen (Mayor Team).
The De Lijn bus drove onto the level crossing at Koning Albertlaan in Veldegem, a sub-municipality of Zedelgem, around 7.30 am on Friday morning. Until the vehicle suddenly broke down right on the tracks. An attempt by the driver to get his bus running again was unsuccessful. The man then decided to send everyone off the bus. And a good thing too: moments later the bus was rammed by an oncoming train, causing enormous damage.
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“Long-term work”
Train traffic between Lichtervelde and Bruges may remain at a standstill all day, in both directions. There were about twenty passengers on the train and one or two were slightly injured. “All people are taken away by taxi vans,” says Bart Crols, spokesperson for the NMBS. “The train also derailed, so there will probably be disruption all day.”
Replacement buses will be deployed for the rest of the day, Thomas Baeken of railway manager Infrabel also reports. “The train’s front wheel axle has derailed and must therefore be placed back on the tracks. It is currently being investigated whether he can continue on his own afterward or whether he will have to be towed away. Then there is a lot of material in the area that was damaged and therefore needs to be replaced. So this will be a long-term effort.”
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The train ran loose through the bus — © rr
Emergency number
Two weeks ago, Infrabel set up a national awareness campaign around 1711, the free emergency number that you can call in the event of an emergency at a level crossing. “The bus stood still on the tracks for about four minutes before it was hit by the train,” said Baeken. “There was actually enough time to call the number and then this accident might have been avoided.”
At De Lijn there is talk of a technical breakdown. “The most important thing is that everyone was unharmed,” said spokesman Frederik Wittock.
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According to Mayor Annick Vermeulen (Team Mayor), an absolute disaster was avoided by the driver’s decisive action. “There were about twenty children on board here. I hate to think what could have happened if that man had not taken action. Today we owe a lot to him,” says Vermeulen, who is visibly upset. “It’s one big mess here. I think we will be inconvenienced all day long.”
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