Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The railway line from Hasselt to Mol, along with the neighbouring track in both directions, has halted train service. A tractor carrying a high cargo struck the overhead power line at the Zonhoven intersection.
A tractor with overloaded capacity hit an overhead power line at Zonhoven’s level crossing, thus disrupting train traffic between Hasselt and Heusden in both directions.
An overloaded tractor hit the railway line that runs between Hasselt and Mol, creating substantial damage to the infrastructure. Repair teams must work throughout a complete day to restore regular train service operations according to official estimates. The transportation company De Lijn provides regular bus services for passengers who find themselves stranded.
A tractor accident occurred at the Halveweg crossing when it struck the overhead line because it was carrying too much weight.
“The tractor probably drove on unsuspectingly, causing the overhead line to be dragged along a bit,”
Says Frédéric Petit of Infrabel.
“The damage is, therefore, considerable; the overhead line has to be repaired over a length of 100 meters.”
Due to the accident, train traffic between Hasselt and Heusden has been interrupted in both directions. Stranded passengers can use De Lijn’s regular bus service.
“A team is currently on site to carry out repairs. It is not yet clear how long train traffic will be interrupted, but it will certainly take a while,”
Says Petit.
“Probably the whole day, but we will keep everyone informed.”
What is the background of level crossing accidents in Belgium?
Rail services in Belgium face substantial disruptions when level crossing accidents happen, although they occur rarely. Prolonged maintenance and repairs become necessary when vehicle loads exceed capacity or clearance standards because they cause vehicles to hit overhead lines. Train traffic operations managed by Infrabel must undergo careful maintenance because these events force service interruptions ranging from hours to full days.
The authorities stress adherence to height limits and caution at railway crossings since these measures help prevent accidents. According to statistical data, high-voltage line repair durations extend into multiple hours because of varying severity levels, which disrupt network services for passengers and freight trains.
