- Title: FRANCE: High speed trains from Paris to Brussels suspended following train crash
- Date: 16th February 2010
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FEBRUARY 15, 2010) (REUTERS) GARE DU NORD STATION VARIOUS OF BOARD ANNOUNCING CANCELLATIONS THALYS, HIGH SPEED TRAINS, DESK VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS WAITING IN FRONT OF THALYS DESK THALYS TICKET PASSENGER ON THE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PASSENGER SAYING: "There was an accident in Brussels. We wait, I think." VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS WAITING
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVA1SODO3F4773C4BBIQDJZTE97B
- Story Text: Train services on the high-speed line between Paris and Brussels have been suspended following the train crash in Belgium.
Train services on the high-speed line between Paris and Brussels were suspended on Monday (February 15) following a train crash in Belgium.
Passengers were stranded in Paris Gare du Nord station with very little information.
A passenger waiting at the station said: "There was an accident in Brussels. We wait, I think."
Two commuter trains crashed head-on near Brussels during the Monday morning rush hour and at least 10 people were killed, a local official said.
The trains collided in snowy conditions at the village of Buizingen, near Halle, 15 km (9 miles) southwest of the Belgian capital, leading to cancellation of services to France and Britain.
Some passengers were still trapped inside the wreckage several hours after the disaster, which occurred at around 8:30 a.m. (0730 GMT).
The province of Flemish Brabant, which includes the town of Halle, said that the death toll officially stood at 10 with 11 seriously injured, including one child.
Train operator SNCB said it was too early to speculate about the cause of the accident and denied reports it had given a death toll estimate of 25. It said 250 to 300 people were travelling in the two trains at the time.
A wide range of train services, including high-speed services from Brussels to Paris and the Eurostar from Brussels to Britain via the Channel Tunnel, were suspended for the day. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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