An apparently drunk driver abandoned his train at Opzullik (Silly) station in the province of Hainaut on Thursday evening after missing a stop and possibly ignoring two red signals. NMBS has started an internal investigation.
LOOK. Train conductor gives stranded travelers food and drinks after the driver’s departure
The passengers of the last train from Tournai to Brussels must have imagined their train ride differently, but on Thursday evening it went completely wrong.
A train conductor is said to have “blocked” the train that had left Tournai station at 10:09 p.m. at Opzullik station because the driver, probably drunk, had missed a stop and passed two red signals. The man then angrily left his post before continuing on foot, a witness to the incident reported to Belga.
Infrabel spokesperson Jessica Nibelle, for her part, indicates that the driver did not run the red light. “We can say with certainty that no red signal was passed,” it said. “We are in contact with the NMBS and have passed on this information.”
“NMBS takes the facts very seriously and immediately started an investigation,” says spokesperson Elisa Roux. In a video and a photo, which you can watch above, you can see how the train conductor hands out water and cookies to the stranded passengers.
“She kept apologizing. We were gathered in a wagon. There were about 25 of us,” said a witness. “A bus was supposed to come pick us up, but it went the wrong way. Then another driver arrived, but according to the train conductor he was not authorized to transport passengers.”
After this series of incidents, the shuttle finally arrived at Opzullik station after about a three-hour wait.
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