Video: Crowded passenger train crashes into car in Gilze-Rijen
A passenger train operated by Dutch national railway NS collided with a car at the level crossing near the Gilze-Rijen train station in Noord-Brabant. The occupants of the car managed to escape from the vehicle, and were unharmed.
There were also no injuries reported on the train. The NS train was carrying about 350 passengers at the time, police said. The train was safely evacuated at the train station platform.
The accident happened at about 1:30 p.m. on Stationsstraat just west of the station. The street crosses both sets of railroad tracks at the crossing, which has red lighting to notify traffic of oncoming trains, and beams which lower down automatically to block the road.
A train approaching the station from the west struck the vehicle on the tracks. "The occupants of this car were able to get out of the car in time," police said. The driver and passenger were believed to be an older couple, according to ANP. The car was completely destroyed in the accident.
Railroad infrastructure firm ProRail added, "The damage to the level crossing is extensive. We are working hard to repair the damage as quickly as possible."
The accident meant that trains could not operate between Breda and Tilburg, also affecting passengers traveling to and from Den Bosch and Eindhoven. The NS said the disruption would continue at least until 10:30 p.m. The NS said it would use a limited number of buses as a replacement service until the problem is resolved.
