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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Antony Thrower

Brussels van crash: Driver blasts through cafe terrace in Belgium injuring six before fleeing scene

Police are searching for the driver of a van who fled the scene after driving into the terrace of a café in Belgium at "extremely high speed", injuring at least six people.

Those sitting outside required treatment for light injuries and shock, Brussels fire brigade and prosecutors told local media.

It is not clear if the incident was intentional or an accident, although witnesses told Belgian media the van entered Rue Saint-Michel, which leads into a busy shopping area, with "tyres screeching".

They claimed the large vehicle then seemed to target the café before heading away at a high speed.

Police officers on the busy shopping street in Brussels (BELGA/AFP via Getty Images)

Local medics said none of the injuries suffered by those drinking outside were serious and nobody required hospital treatment.

Footage captured on a passer-by's phone showed the white van careering past the café, knocking several people from their chairs in the process, at around 1pm local time (11am GMT).

It then turned a corner and disappeared.

CCTV showed the vehicle driving very close to people outside the cafe (Twitter)

Philippe Close, Brussels mayor, told Le Soir: "The people who witnessed this accident were all taken to the police station for questioning.

"These are tourists, city employees, residents and Belgians visiting the capital.

"What is certain is that the vehicle was traveling at an extremely high speed and was aiming for the terrace.

Police are continuing to search for the driver of the van (BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

"But I will not draw conclusions before the investigators.

"We have a lot of camera images, and the judicial police are mobilized."

The mayor added he hoped the perpetrator would be quickly found.

A witness told a local radio station the van approached at "breakneck speed" (BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

A witness told local radio station Radio 1: 'We were just enjoying the terrace. The terraces were quite full.

"Suddenly a white van drove up at breakneck speed, swinging from side by side.

"We had to jump against the wall.'

People sitting outside the café fell to the ground as the van thundered past (BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

A spokesman for Brussels Police said: "I confirm the driver of a van drove into a terrace. He fled.

"An investigation is now underway to find him.

“At this stage, there is no question of specifying whether the driver of the vehicle was able to run onto the terrace intentionally or not."

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