Global General

Train collision kills at least 20 in Brussels

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-02-15 18:02
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Two commuter trains collided head-on at rush hour in a Brussels suburb Monday, killing 20 people, Belgian officials said.

The trains collided in snowy conditions in the town of Buizingen around 8:30 am (0730GMT).

"The most recent information we have is that 20 people died," town Mayor Dirk Pieters said on Belgian radio.

He said he had received the reports from emergency officials on the scene southwest of Brussels.

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Kristien Berckmans, a Belgian railways spokeswoman, said earlier that "there was considerable damage and several people were injured."

There was no immediate word on the cause of the crash.

Railway authorities said the accident caused great damage to overhead power lines in the station.

Rail traffic from Brussels to southwestern Belgium was halted.

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