On Wednesday morning, an 11-year-old boy died after being hit by a truck in the city centre of Aalst, in the East Flanders province.
The accident in the vicinity of the parking lot of the Tereos company, where a lot of trucks arrive and depart daily.
"It is not yet clear whether the accident happened in the parking lot or on the street," said Katrien Ottevaere, a spokesperson for the local police, reports Het Nieuwsblad. "According to the initial information, the boy was in front of a stationary truck. The truck departed and hit the child," she added. The boy died at the scene. He was walking with his mother, brother and sister.
It is assumed that the truck departed backwards from the parking lot, but the exact circumstances of the accident are still being investigated. Among other things, the camera footage of the parking lot is being analysed.
The accident happened at one of the most dangerous points of Aalst, the intersection of the ring road with the Alfred Nichelstreet and the Vilanderstreet, as many trucks pass by on their way to the industrial site in the city.
"For years, this was an accident waiting to happen," said Lisa Gabriëls, who witnessed the accident, reports Het Laatste Nieuws. "This is not the fault of the truck driver, but of the city of Aalst. Put a fence around the zone. Change the driving times, make sure the trucks avoid the rush hours. Move the industrial site to another place in the city. Do something about this situation, anything. Even though it is too late now," she added.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
