What happens in brussels south station ? Que se passe-t-il à la gare du midi ? #brusselzuid
Brussels South Station, also known as Gare du Midi station, was evacuated after a “loud bang” was heard. As you can see in the photo above, dozens of people rushed outside of the building after a noise that has been described by some social media users as an “explosion.”
Authorities have not released any details about what might have caused the noise.
According to VTM News, three men inside the station set off firecrackers. Another report indicated that there was a suspicious package found. A local transport official told Politico Europe editor Andrew Gray that authorities investigated the package and found it to be a “false alarm.”
Police and emergency personnel are currently at the scene, but it appears as though things have calmed down.
“Police incident at Brussels South/Gare du Midi station. Tram station taped off, multiple police vehicles, helicopter overhead. Panic among passengers at first but calm now… Local transport official just told me there was a suspect package but appears to have been false alarm. Station getting back to normal now,” Gray said in a series of tweets.
The situation that unfolded at the train station located in Belgium’s capital city, was frightening for those in the area. However, no injuries have been reported.
“That was a hairy few minutes at Gare du Midi – scores of people running flat out in different directions, shouting out in fear. At least one police officer with his gun drawn. But looks to have been false alarm, all over now,” Gray added.
A few people took to social media to share updates based on what they were seeing after the evacuation. You can read some of those posts below.
“Brussels south station suddenly got evacuated and people running away in panic. Lots and lots of police at the scene, screaming everyone leaves the station at once,” wrote one Twitter user.
“Brussels south station / gare du midi is in full lockdown now as more police and emergency services are still arriving,” wrote another.
Other reports on social media suggest that there was a shooting, but there is no evidence to support those claims at this time.
The Gare du Midi station in Brussels is one of the busiest train stations in Europe. At any given time, hundreds of passengers can be traveling in and out of the station. Trains connect passengers to various destinations, making it a very busy hub.
“Bruxelles-Midi/Zuid, served by Thalys, Eurostar, TGV® Brussels-France, ICE and InterCity trains, is the ideal starting point for your journeys to Germany, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Great Britain and connects travelers to the entire Belgian domestic railway network,” reads the station’s website.
Passengers have been allowed back in the building and trains are running, though a few might be delayed due to this incident. There are some reports that stations 9 and 10 may be inaccessible at this time. It is unclear why those two stations are closed or when they will be reopened.