A driver drove his car up to the new platform at Hasselt railway station this morning. The motorist first drove through a fence arriving on the tracks. It’s thought he may have become unwell. The car has now been towed away, but the track is slightly damaged. ‘Trains now have to use a different track leading to several minute delays,’ said rail track operator Infrabel early this morning.
‘What happened this morning's very bizarre,’ said Infrabel's Fréderic Petit. ‘A little after 7AM, a car drove through the fence near the courthouse, it got as far as the new platform 1A and then ended up on the tracks.’
Two people were in the car. They were able to get out of the car under their own steam. Perhaps the driver became unwell. The man was taken to hospital. A child, who was in the car at the same time, was unhurt.
Train traffic on that track was suspended. The car was towed away just before 9AM. There is some minor damage to the track. ‘That will certainly have an impact on the rush hour, especially on the Hasselt-Mol line. Trains now have to move to another track triggering small delays,’ Mr Petit concluded.
Infrabel expected the issue to be sorted by 10.30AM today.