Truck lands on car at unguarded Antwerp port rail crossing
A freight train collided with a truck at an unguarded railway crossing in the Port of Antwerp on Wednesday morning, sending the truck toppling onto a passing passenger car. Remarkably, no one was seriously injured in the incident, which occurred at the intersection of Kastelweg and Zwarteweg during the morning rush hour.
The truck, bearing a Czech license plate, was struck by a freight train operated by HSL as it attempted to cross the tracks. The impact caused the vehicle to tip over and land on top of a car traveling on an adjacent lane, crushing the car’s roof under the truck’s weight. According to VRT NWS, the fire brigade did not need to free anyone from the vehicles.
Light injuries reported
Reports on injuries vary slightly between outlets. HLN and De Morgen report that the car driver sustained light injuries, while a Belga wire service report indicates the truck driver was lightly injured and taken to hospital. VRT NWS initially reported no injuries at all. The discrepancies likely reflect evolving information as the situation developed.
“It’s only material damage, thank God,” said Ken Vanderhooydonk, spokesperson for HSL freight operator. “The trailer of the truck is a bit intertwined with the locomotive, so it’s not easy to pull everything apart again.”
The Scheepvaartpolitie (Maritime Police) deployed a drone to capture aerial photographs of the scene, with the railway police also attending. Fire brigade technical services from Brandweer Zone Antwerpen assisted with towing operations. The intersection was closed to traffic while the investigation and recovery work continued.
Dangerous substances initially suspected
Federal police initially reported that the train was carrying dangerous substances, prompting precautionary measures. However, after drone investigation, De Morgen confirmed this was not the case. The truck’s cargo remains unknown, but no dangerous substances were involved.
“This is taken into account in the further handling and possible towing,” said Emmanuelle Praet, spokesperson for the Scheepvaartpolitie. “The Scheepvaartpolitie is on site and has deployed a drone to take aerial photos of the situation.”
The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation, and towing operations were pending the traffic expert’s assessment.
Recurring safety concerns at port crossings
The incident has renewed attention on the safety of unguarded railway crossings in the Antwerp port area, where most crossings lack barriers. The port has approximately 1,000 kilometers of railway tracks with more than 200 level crossings, of which 115 are on public roads. Unlike most railway crossings in Belgium, port crossings are equipped only with red lights and sometimes a bell signal.
A Royal Decree from July 2011 states that crossings in seaports or river ports and in industrial zones do not need to be equipped with safety devices. According to Thomas Baeken of Infrabel, the Belgian rail infrastructure manager, practical tests have shown that barriers in the port are often driven through by heavy truck traffic that does not stop at red lights. Repairing damaged barriers would cause significant disruption to freight traffic.
VRT NWS reported in December 2024 that approximately 80 percent of accidents at rail crossings in the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge are caused by drivers ignoring red lights, and in over two-thirds of port crossing accidents, a truck is involved. In 2023, there were 31 accidents at level crossings in Belgium, 6 of which occurred in port areas.
The incident follows a fatal collision in December 2024, when a truck driver was killed after colliding with a locomotive at a crossing on the Noorderlaan in the Antwerp port. That investigation showed the driver had ignored the red signal.
Safety campaigns and infrastructure plans
In June 2025, Infrabel, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and partners including FEBETRA, DP World, and customs launched a “Rood = Stop” awareness campaign targeting truck drivers in the Antwerp and Zeebrugge port areas, as Transport Online reported. The three-week campaign used digital channels, flyers, banners, gas stations, and social media.
A “Masterplan Veilige Spooroverwegen” (Master Plan for Safe Level Crossings) has also been developed, including quick wins such as improved road markings and adjusted signaling, as well as structural measures like redesigning crossings with chicanes to reduce vehicle speed.
“At a red light you must always stop, with or without a barrier,” Baeken emphasized. Infrabel cannot decide on installing barriers at crossings — that authority rests with the FOD Mobiliteit, which conducts risk analyses at every crossing every few years.
What to watch for
The investigation into Wednesday’s collision will determine whether driver error or other factors played a role. As the port continues to handle heavy freight traffic across its extensive rail network, the balance between operational efficiency and safety at unguarded crossings remains a pressing concern for authorities, rail operators, and the thousands of truck drivers who navigate the port daily.