“There was music and laughter and three seconds later there were screams”: car drives into a group of people at a carnival event – four dead
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A carnival event in Belgium ended in disaster on Sunday. At least four people die when a vehicle suddenly drives into a crowd.
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In the Belgian municipality of Strépy-Bracquegnies, a car driver crashed into a group of people during a carnival event.
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In Belgium, a vehicle drove into a group of people at a carnival event. Four people died in the accident in the town of Strépy-Bracquegnies on Sunday morning, as reported by the Belgian news agency Belga, citing the responsible mayor. 12 others were seriously injured and about 20 slightly injured.
It was initially unclear whether the vehicle was intentionally driven into the group of people. According to the mayor, the driver initially drove on, but was then stopped. The Belgian municipality of Strépy-Bracquegnies is located about 40 kilometers southwest of Brussels and, according to the overriding city of La Louvière, recently had almost 9,000 inhabitants.
A moderator from the Belgian radio station RTL, who took part in the carnival event, 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 it was screams. It was terrible, »the broadcaster quoted him as saying. According to him, about 150 people attended the event.
According to the mayor of La Louvière, the municipal emergency plan was triggered and the victim support service activated. 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 a drama.”
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