One Dead, Four Injured in Crash on E19 Near Antwerp

A serious chain-reaction collision on the E19 highway in Sint-Job-in-‘t-Goor, north of Antwerp, has left one person dead and four others injured. The accident occurred shortly before 08:00 on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, shutting down the highway towards Antwerp completely for emergency response and investigation.

According to VRT NWS, the crash involved multiple vehicles — including both cars and trucks — in a rear-end collision that triggered a chain reaction. The Flemish public broadcaster reported six vehicles involved, while HLN specified seven: four trucks and three cars.

The Incident

An Berger, spokesperson for the Federal Highway Police, described the scene: “A very serious accident has occurred on the E19 in Sint-Job-in-‘t-Goor. Just before 8 o’clock there was a rear-end collision resulting in a chain reaction. About 6 vehicles are involved.”

Emergency services responded in force, including fire brigades from Brandweerzone Rand, multiple ambulances, federal police, and local police. Koen Vanderzwalm of the fire brigade confirmed the toll: “The fire brigade freed a number of people. One person has died, four people were taken to hospital injured.”

All lanes of the E19 towards Antwerp — including the emergency lane — were completely blocked. The Flemish Traffic Center (Vlaams Verkeerscentrum) warned that the highway would remain closed until at least midday as crews worked to clear the wreckage and investigators examined the scene.

Traffic Disruption and Diversions

The closure of this critical north-south artery caused significant disruption during the morning rush hour. Peter Bruyninckx of the Flemish Traffic Center announced an updated detour route: “From Sint-Job you no longer go towards Brasschaat, but towards Schoten. From there you can go to Kleine Bareel, to get back on the E19.” Local police were stationed at all intersections to guide motorists.

For long-distance travelers coming from the Netherlands, authorities advised using the A12 highway as an alternative. The Traffic Center also issued an urgent appeal to drivers stuck in the resulting traffic jam: “Keep the emergency lane clear, so emergency services can reach the accident quickly.”

Rescue and Aftermath

Firefighters worked to free multiple people trapped in their vehicles. The force of the collision was severe — photographs from the scene show a truck cabin that detached during the crash, and tow operations were expected to take several hours.

The fire brigade also offered practical advice to motorists facing delays on what was forecast to be a warm day: “We would recommend everyone to have enough water in the car during these warm days.”

A Troubling Pattern

This stretch of the E19 near Sint-Job-in-‘t-Goor has seen multiple serious accidents in recent years. In November 2024, a major chain collision involving 12 trucks and one car injured five people at the same location, with a secondary crash in the resulting traffic jam involving five more trucks. Other incidents include a chain collision at nearby Loenhout in May 2025 and an accident involving three trucks at Sint-Job-in-‘t-Goor in August 2023.

The repeated incidents on this corridor have raised questions about highway safety on one of Belgium’s busiest transport routes, which connects Antwerp to the Dutch border and serves as a vital freight corridor.

Investigation Ongoing

The cause of the initial rear-end collision remains under investigation. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the deceased, pending family notification. The condition of the four injured persons has not been disclosed.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and check real-time traffic updates before traveling on the E19 between Antwerp and the Dutch border.