Six people died this Sunday March 20, 2022 in Belgium, when a car, with two people on board, drove into a crowd in the town of Strépy-Bracquegnies.
A car drove into a crowd gathering to take part in a carnival, killing at least six people and injuring 26 others, ten seriously, authorities said. ” A speeding car slammed into the crowd that had gathered for the carnival, Jacques Gobert, mayor of La Louvière, told the Belga press agency.
Strépy-Bracquegnies, south of Brussels, woke up in shock and since this Sunday morning, the emotion is extremely strong in the village. Where thousands of people are usually gathered for the carnival, there are not even a hundred today between the brick houses. Almost no one is in costume, notes our special correspondent, Jean-Jacques Hery.
“It’s the misfortune that happened”
” We no longer have the heart to party », explains Maurice, at the window of one of the chip shops in the village. ” It touched us, everyone, whether it’s the inhabitants, the traders… everyone, everyone! We are in shock, for the whole family and the victims. It was a party that all the villagers of Bracquegnies were waiting for. It was misfortune that happened. »
For two years, the parties had been canceled due to the health situation. For their return, they become a national disaster. The King of Belgium must go to the bedside of the victims this Sunday. ” It especially marks the scale of the disaster, the disaster can be described as national. The objective being also of course, together, to debrief, to take stock of the way in which the crisis, the disaster was managed », Explains the mayor of La Louvière.
On the spot, a psychological cell was opened. The investigation is still ongoing. The terrorist track is, a priori, dismissed, but nothing is known of the motive of the two people present in the killer vehicle and who were arrested by the police.