Bomb scare delays trains in Brussels and Charleroi

False bomb threats in the railway stations of Brussels North and Charleroi South and the Charleroi Airport on Wednesday caused significant disruption to train traffic, writes De Morgen. More than 1,000 trains were delayed for a combined total of 470 hours, announced rail infrastructure manager Infrabel.

Another 302 trains were completely or partially cancelled due to the incident. Most of the train traffic problems started during the evening rush hour, with the consequences of the delays and cancellations lasting until late in the evening, leaving many commuters stranded.

An anonymous telephone call to police reported that bombs were set to go off at the stations and the airport. The police immediately responded with the evacuation of the stations, including the metro and bus platforms. Some security measures were taken at the airport, which did not experience any delays due to the bomb threat.