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25 April 2005
BRUSSELS – Belgian roads claimed a high toll this weekend, with nine people losing their lives and eight serious injuries.
The first roadside drama occurred on Friday when a motorcyclist was struck by an overtaking car near to Herent. The motorcyclist died on the spot.
The second serious incident took place in Bruges when a sixteen year old female cyclist was knocked over by a hit and run driver.
The girl died in hospital after the driver fled the scene.
On Saturday, a 38 year old man was killed when he lost control of his car on the E411 near to Walhain.
Another man was seriously injured when he had to be cut out of his car after it hit a post.
In a separate incident on Saturday morning, a car drove into a canal near Nevele.
A shocked female passenger managed to escape and alert local residents but the driver was unable to get out of the car.
Towards 11 am on Saturday, a bus carrying young English girls on the way to a rugby match at Casteau hit the side of a building.
Seventeen of them were injured, thirteen suffering only minor injuries.
The same morning a car hit a post and careered into a garden. The driver, a 38 year old from Antwerp, died later in hospital and his 42 year old passenger has serious injuries.
Around 10.45am a lorry carrying chemicals caught fire on the E17, near to Zele.
The fire was brought under control but not before releasing dangerous chemicals into the air and causing major traffic problems.
In another tragedy, a young boy of ten was knocked over and killed on a road at Kain, near to Tournai.
An inquiry is underway.
On the same day, a 58 year old from Namur died after his vehicle hit a tree.
And Sunday brought no end to the carnage, when two thirty year olds were killed in an accident on the E42.
Their car left the road and hit a building site where it immediately burst into flames.
Finally, one person was seriously hurt and three others had light injuries after an accident near Leuven.
[Copyright Expatica 2005]
Subject: Belgian news