UA car drove into a crowd taking part in a carnival on Sunday morning March 20 in the town of La Louvière in Belgium, killing six people and seriously injuring a dozen others, the mayor said. “A car traveling at high speed drove into the crowd which had gathered to attend (the carnival),” Jacques Gobert, the mayor of this city in southern Belgium, told the Belga press agency.
The accident occurred around 5 a.m. in Strépy-Bracquegnies, a village which is part of the industrial town of La Louvière, the authorities said. According to a press release from the mayor’s office, a group of a hundred people had just left the Omnisports hall to go back to the center of the village when a vehicle drove into the crowd. The car was intercepted by the police, two people were on board, including the driver. They have not yet been interviewed.
“In the current state of the investigation, we know that a vehicle drove into a group […] and that we deplore six deaths, 26 injuries, [dont] ten people whose lives are currently in danger, ”said Damien Verheyen, deputy public prosecutor of Mons, during a press conference. “The terrorist track is not privileged,” he also said. “What was supposed to be a friendly party turned into a tragedy. We are monitoring the situation closely,” Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden tweeted. “My sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who died and were injured in the incident that occurred this morning in Strépy,” he added.
My sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who died and were injured in the incident that occurred this morning in Strépy. What was supposed to be a friendly party turned into a tragedy. We are monitoring the situation closely.
— Annelies Verlinden (@AnneliesVl) March 20, 2022
Philippe of Belgium will go there
A municipal emergency plan has been launched in the city. “We have made the municipal sports hall available to families and the victim assistance service has also been activated,” said the mayor, Jacques Gobert.
“I would like to thank all the teams who activated themselves very quickly on the spot, the police, fire services, various solidarities from neighboring areas, many ambulances came far beyond our territories”, added the mayor. , emphasizing the “great dignity that reigned on the site […] a lot of messages of solidarity “were sent.
At 4 p.m., King Philippe of Belgium, accompanied by his Prime Minister, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister-President and the Governor will go there. Affected families who wish to do so will be able to meet with them.