€200,000 raised for victims, families of fatal railway accident

By Janene Pieters on September 24, 2018 - 09:00
Emergency services at the scene of a fatal rail accident on Braakstraat in Oss, four children were killed, 20 Sept 2018
Emergency services at the scene of a fatal rail accident on Braakstraat in Oss, four children were killed, 20 Sept 2018. (Photo: @ProRail / Twitter)

A fundraiser was launched on Friday for the victims of a fatal railway accident in Oss on Thursday morning. By Sunday over 200 thousand euros had been raised, ANP reports.

The fundraiser was started by Nick Nietveld from Almere. He was so shaken by the deaths of the four children that he decided to take action. His goal was to raise 60 thousand euros. That amount was surpassed within a day. 

The money is intended to pay for the funerals of the four children killed in the accident and for possible adjustments in and around the homes of the girl and childminder who were seriously injured in the crash. Nietveld made contact with the municipality of Oss. The donations will be transferred to the municipality next month. Donations can still be made until Friday on Doneeractie.nl. The fundraiser is called 'Slachtoffers treinongeval Oss'.

The childminder was taking five children from childcare center Okido to primary school De Koranaer on a Stint electric cargo bike when they were hit by a train at a railway crossing on Braakstraat. Four children between the ages of 4 and 8 years were killed. An 11-year-old girl and the 32-year-old woman were seriously injured. The injured girl and two of the other victims were sisters. 

On Thursday night hundreds of Oss residents gathered at Oss West station, near the scene of the accident, for an impromptu commemoration. They left a sea of flowers, stuffed toys and messages. On Friday morning the municipality placed tents over the memorial, to protect it from the rain. On Friday the victims were also commemorated at their primary school.

A condolence register was opened at the town hall in Oss on Friday. Hundreds of people singed it by Saturday, according to NU.nl. 

The official commemoration for the victims will be held in Oss on October 8th.

The police, the Dutch Safety Board, the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate, NS and ProRaill are investigating how this accident happened. Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen of Infrastructure said on Friday that she will investigate the the current requirements set on light motor vehicles like the Stints. Stints are still allowed to be on the road. 

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