In the middle of noon, a van drives into the terrace of two restaurants in the center of Brussels. The incident ends comparatively lightly – but it raises many questions.
Police officers stand in central Brussels at midday after a pickup truck fled into a terrace.
(dpa) In the center of the Belgian capital, Brussels, a van drove into the terrace of a brasserie and fast-food restaurant. According to the rescue workers, six people were slightly injured. The driver fled and was wanted by the police, the Belgian news agency Belga reported. Only the vehicle could be found a few streets away by Friday afternoon.
It was initially unclear whether the car was driven into the terrace intentionally or unintentionally. However, according to Brussels Mayor Philippe Close, testimonies could indicate a crime. “What is certain is that the vehicle was traveling at extremely high speed and was heading for the terrace,” the newspaper “Le Soir” quoted him as saying on its website.
The fact that the police were able to evaluate many camera images, according to Close, gave hope for a quick investigation. According to the mayor, witnesses to what happened were taken to the police station for questioning. They were citizens, tourists and city employees. The injured could all be treated on site, nobody had to be taken to the hospital.
The incident happened around 1 p.m. on Rue Saint-Michel, which is a side street off the well-known Brussels shopping street, Rue Neuve. Mainly restaurants and snack bars have settled in it.
In Belgium, six people were killed and more than three dozen injured in March when a car crashed into a crowd at a carnival event in the municipality of Strépy-Bracquegnies. The driver is currently in custody. According to the current status of the investigation, he is to be tried for manslaughter.