2022 Strépy-Bracquegnies car crash
LocationStrépy-Bracquegnies, Belgium
Coordinates50°27′54″N 4°06′54″E / 50.465°N 4.115°E / 50.465; 4.115
Date20 March 2022
WeaponsCar
Deaths6
Injured40
MotiveUnknown
ChargesManslaughter

In the morning of 20 March 2022, a motorist drove a car through a crowd celebrating Carnival in Strépy-Bracquegnies, La Louvière, Belgium. Six people were killed and around 40 were wounded, with ten of the wounded people having very serious or even potentially fatal injuries.[1]

A crowd of 150–200 people were parading towards the centre of the village,[2] dressed up in costumes in celebration of the Christian festival of Carnival when the car collided with the crowd in the rue des Canadiens.[3] A TV presenter said that the vehicle "deliberately entered" the crowd, killing several people.[4] After crashing into the crowd, the car, which was carrying two people, sped off from the scene; later being stopped by police.[5]

Six people in total were killed, including Frédéric d'Andrea, a steward for the RAAL La Louvière football club.[6][7]

Police denied early reports that the vehicle had been engaging in a "high-speed chase" by police at the time. While a terrorist motive was ruled out, whether or not it was intentional was at first unclear.[8]

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said he was shocked by the incident and responded to it as "horrible news",[1] and travelled to the village with Philippe of Belgium that day. French President Emmanuel Macron also expressed his sorrow and expressed empathy to Belgium.[6]

The driver was charged with manslaughter a few days later. He confessed he had exceeded the speed limit when the crash occurred, and insisted that what had happened was an accident.[9] Investigation indicated that the driver had been going 160 km/h while under the influence and using his mobile phone.[10]

Fatal victims

  • Mario Cascarano, (56 years old)
  • Michelina Imperiale (54 years old)
  • Salvatore Imperiale (56 years old)
  • Fred Cicero
  • Laure Gara (49 years old)
  • Frederic D'andrea (40 years old)
Source:[11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Six killed after car drives into crowd in Belgium". BBC News. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "Six killed as car driven into carnival crowd in southern Belgium". Euronews. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "Frederic, «admirable steward» à la RAAL La Louvière, a perdu la vie au carnaval de Strépy-Bracquegnies: «Et puis soudain il y a eu ce fou»" [Frederic, "admirable steward" at RAAL La Louvière, lost his life at the carnival of Strépy-Bracquegnies: "And then suddenly there was this madman"]. Sudinfo.be (in French). 20 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "Fatalities as car smashes into carnival in southern Belgium". Aljazeera. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  5. ↑ "Six people killed as car crashes into carnival in Belgium". The Guardian. Reuters. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Belgium mourns after car kills six in carnival crash". France 24. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  7. ↑ Cordisco, Mario (21 March 2022). "En hommage aux victimes de Strépy". RAAL La Louvière (in French). Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  8. ↑ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Belgium: Six dead as car hits carnival crowd | DW | 20.03.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Manslaughter charge for Belgian carnival crash driver". RTÉ. 22 March 2022.
  10. ↑ Sandra Cardoen (22 October 2022). "Man die in maart verkeersdrama met carnavalsgroep in Strépy veroorzaakte, blijft langer in de cel". VRT News.
  11. ↑ Burke, Dave (21 March 2022). "Faces of the 6 people killed in Belgium after car ploughed into carnival crowds". Mirror. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
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