A vehicle crashed into a group of people in Belgium. At least six people died, including a child. The public prosecutor’s office published initial information regarding the driver.
In Belgium a vehicle drove into a group of people at a carnival event. Six people were killed in the accident in the town of Strépy-Bracquegnies on Sunday morning. As a spokesman for the rescue services said at a press conference on Sunday morning, ten seriously injured people are also in critical condition. 27 people suffered minor injuries. According to media reports, a child was among the fatalities. Immediately following the incident, four fatalities were initially reported.
According to the mayor of the city of La Louvière, Jacques Gobert, the car had crashed into the crowd at high speed. They had gathered early in the morning for a traditional event in the municipality of Strépy-Bracquegnies. The Walloon municipality belongs to the city of La Louvière and is located regarding 40 kilometers south-west of Brussels.
Police cordon off in Strépy-Bracquegnies: several people died and more than a dozen were injured. (Source: Carole Heymans/BELGA/dpa)
Driver comes from the region
It is still unclear why the vehicle drove into the group of people. A spokesman for the public prosecutor’s office said only that there was no evidence of a terrorist background. According to him, the people in the vehicle came from the region and were arrested. They were previously unknown to the authorities and were born in 1988 and 1990 respectively. According to the public prosecutor’s office, both people come from the region.
According to Gobert, the incident happened at 5 a.m. A group of regarding a hundred participants had just left the sports hall to head back to the center of the village when the car crashed into the crowd, he said, according to Belga. “The driver continued his journey, but we intercepted him.”
As the Belgian broadcaster VRT reported, the occupants of the vehicle came from dancing when they drove into the crowd. It is now being investigated whether they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Moderator: “There was music and laughter and seconds later there were screams”
A moderator from the Belgian radio station RTL, who took part in the carnival event, also reported on dramatic scenes. According to him, the car drove into the middle of the crowd. “There was music and laughter and three seconds later there were screams. It was terrible,” the broadcaster quoted him as saying. According to him, regarding 150 people attended the event.
“There are no words, it’s horror. Arriving on site shortly following the disaster, seeing these corpses scattered on the street, people who are in pain…” Mayor Gobert told RTL. Those affected were accommodated in the municipal sports hall and emergency services were activated. The municipal emergency plan was triggered.
Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden wrote on Twitter that her deepest condolences go to the families and friends of those killed and injured. “What was supposed to be a great party turned into drama.”
Mayor calls for the carnival to be canceled
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo also expressed his sympathy and spoke of “terrible news” from Strépy-Bracquegnies. In the followingnoon, he visited the scene of the accident together with King Philippe and Princess Elisabeth, spoke to the victims’ relatives and thanked the rescue workers. “It should have been a day to celebrate following a difficult time,” said De Croo, referring to the corona pandemic. “It has become a day of mourning.”
According to the Belgian news agency Belga, the carnival season in La Louvière only started at the beginning of March following strict corona restrictions were lifted. In 2020 and 2021 the carnival had to be canceled completely due to Corona. Mayor Jacques Gobert called for the carnival to be canceled on Sunday following the accident. “I think everyone’s state of mind is such that we mightn’t consider anything else,” he said.
The village of Strépy-Bracquegnies is regarding 40 kilometers from Brussels, with La Louvière as the overriding city, which has a population of 9,000.
