A major transportation company is facing mounting public scrutiny after insisting the school bus destroyed in Belgium’s catastrophic train collision had no known mechanical defects before the crash that killed four people and critically injured several children.

The horrifying disaster unfolded in Buggenhout after a school bus carrying children was struck by a passenger train reportedly traveling at approximately 75 miles per hour.

Authorities confirmed the violent impact launched the bus nearly 50 feet into a nearby pylon, leaving the vehicle completely demolished across the railway crossing.

The crash killed four people, including a 15-year-old child, a 12-year-old student, the 49-year-old driver, and a 27-year-old chaperone accompanying the children during transport.

Five additional children were rushed to hospital in critical condition following the collision, though officials later confirmed the surviving victims had stabilized medically.

Now, public anger is increasingly focusing on questions surrounding how the tragedy occurred after the transport company reportedly stated the vehicle showed “zero technical defects” prior to the fatal journey.

The company’s comments came as distraught relatives and members of the public demanded a far deeper forensic investigation into claims from witnesses who allegedly saw the bus appear to suddenly freeze or stop at the worst possible moment directly on the tracks.

According to preliminary reports, the bus entered the railway crossing despite active warning systems, flashing red lights, and lowered safety barriers already signaling approaching danger.

Investigators believe the driver may have broken through the crossing barrier moments before the collision occurred, though authorities continue examining whether the vehicle became immobilized afterward.

That possibility has now become one of the central questions dominating the investigation.

Transportation officials confirmed forensic specialists are currently analyzing the wreckage, onboard systems, maintenance records, mechanical components, and electronic data while reconstructing the final seconds before impact.

Authorities are also reviewing CCTV footage, train black box data, crossing signal diagnostics, witness statements, and communication logs connected to the disaster.

Railway investigators previously revealed the train operator activated emergency braking systems immediately after spotting the bus on the tracks.

However, experts explain trains moving at high speed require enormous stopping distances, leaving virtually no opportunity to avoid impact once the obstruction became visible.

Witnesses near the scene described hearing an enormous explosion-like collision before seeing wreckage scattered across the railway perimeter.

Several people reportedly attempted rushing toward the destroyed bus while emergency services flooded the crossing area moments later.

Images from the crash site showed catastrophic destruction surrounding the tracks, with twisted metal, shattered debris, and damaged infrastructure covering the area.

The transportation company’s insistence that the bus had no known technical failures has triggered intense reaction online.

Some social media users accused officials of attempting to shift blame toward the deceased driver before investigators fully determine what occurred.

Others questioned whether hidden mechanical or electronic issues could have caused the vehicle to stall unexpectedly after crossing the barrier.

Meanwhile, transportation experts note that modern buses contain numerous complex electrical, braking, transmission, and engine systems capable of malfunctioning under rare circumstances even if no previous defects were documented.

Investigators are therefore expected to perform exhaustive forensic examinations before drawing final conclusions regarding the vehicle’s condition.

The tragedy has also reignited national debate in Belgium surrounding railway crossing safety, school transportation procedures, and emergency evacuation protocols involving children.

Grief counselors and crisis support teams have reportedly been deployed to assist survivors, families, emergency responders, and school communities devastated by the collision.

Flowers, stuffed animals, candles, and handwritten notes have already begun appearing near the crossing as the country mourns one of its most disturbing recent transportation disasters involving children.

Authorities continue urging the public not to spread speculation while the investigation remains active.

Still, for many grieving families, one haunting question now dominates the tragedy:

if the school bus truly had no mechanical issues at all, why did witnesses reportedly see it appear to freeze directly in front of a speeding train with nowhere left to escape?