An accident in which a lorry driver lost his life after his truck veered off course and crashed through the central reservation is causing mayor disruption to traffic on the Brussels Orbital Motorway at Zaventem (Flemish Brabant). The Flemish Traffic Centre is warning motorists to avoid there area if at all possible.
The Federal Police Spokeswoman An Berger told VRT News that "Just before 5am a lorry that was travelling on the Brussels Orbital in Zaventem veered off course, crashed through the central reservation and ended up on the opposite carriageway".
The driver of the lorry died in the accident. No other vehicles were involved. Fuel leaked from the damaged lorry and some of its load of grain was shed. Ms Berger told VRT News that the Fire Service has gone to the scene to clear the grain and the diesel from the road surface. However, this could take some time.
"An investigation will be carried out to find out what exactly caused the accident. An accident investigation expert, the prosecutor’s office and forensics officers will go to the scene.”
Anti-clockwise carriageway closed, clockwise carriageway partially open
The anti-clockwise carriageway of the motorway is completely closed. At 8am traffic was tailing back for 1.5 hours between Tervuren and the Zaventem-Henneaulaan intersection. There traffic is being diverted from the motorway.
On the clockwise carriageway two lanes are open. Nevertheless, there are delays of 45 minutes with traffic tailing back as far as Grimbergen. In Zaventem the slip road from the motorway to the road that runs parrel to it has been closed.
The diversion of traffic from the Brussels Orbital has caused major congestion on other roads in the area. There are delays of half an hour on the Woluwelaan between Zaventem and Kraainem and on the N2 between Leuven and Zaventem.
There are also delays on the Tervuursesteenweg in Steenokkerzeel and Nossegem.
The Flemish Traffic Centre advises motorists wishing to cross the country from east to west to seek an alternative route via Antwerp.