Freight train’s locked brake sparked four trackside fires near Ghent
A freight train with a locked brake sparked four trackside fires between Ghent-Dampoort and Lokeren on 13 August, briefly halting traffic on the Ghent-Antwerp rail corridor before firefighters extinguished the flames.
One defective brake disrupted a major East Flanders rail corridor and created four separate firefighting sites. The episode underlines the operational importance of rolling-stock checks, rapid detection and dry-weather vegetation management.
Updated 27 August 2026 — A freight train sparked four fires beside the railway between and on Thursday afternoon, 13 August, after a brake remained pressed against a metal wheel. Firefighters extinguished the flames, and reopened the line after a suspension lasting about 45 minutes.
spokesperson Thomas Baeken told Het Nieuwsblad that trains stopped shortly before 14:00 and began running again shortly after 14:30. The largest fire developed in , while several smaller outbreaks occurred around . No injuries were reported in the accounts reviewed by Pulse.
According to De Morgen and Het Nieuwsblad, friction between the locked brake and the wheel produced a trail of sparks. Dry vegetation beside the railway then ignited at several points as the freight train continued along the route. The reporting does not identify the freight operator, the train’s cargo or the precise locations of all four outbreaks.
The incident shows how a single mechanical defect can create several emergencies across one railway corridor. Firefighters need safe access to the track, while must stop or restrict trains until crews have suppressed the fire and checked the infrastructure. The immediate consequence for passengers was a short interruption on the busy connection between and .
Trackside fires caused by train sparks are not new. In a 2011 parliamentary answer, the federal mobility minister said fires between and had similarly followed sparks from a freight train’s jammed brake, with a dry spring leaving railway verges particularly combustible. ’s public material also explains that it manages train movements and railway infrastructure, while rolling-stock condition remains tied to the operators using the network.
The broader issue is prevention during extended dry periods. Vegetation management limits available fuel, but it does not remove the source of sparks from a defective brake. Operators therefore rely on rolling-stock inspections and alerts from railway staff, train drivers or people near the line to stop a faulty train quickly.
has not publicly detailed any damage to signalling, cables or rails from the August fires. The outstanding questions are whether the freight operator has completed a technical investigation, why the brake locked and whether the episode will produce additional inspections or operating measures during dry weather.
Impact
Regional — Passenger services between Ghent and Antwerp stopped for about 45 minutes, directly affecting travellers using Ghent-Dampoort, Beervelde, Lokeren and connecting stations.
Local — Passenger trains between Ghent and Antwerp were stopped for about 45 minutes, affecting travellers using Ghent-Dampoort, Beervelde, Lokeren and onward connections. Destelbergen faced the largest fire, while firefighters also attended smaller outbreaks near Beervelde. Although the line reopened after the fires were extinguished, passengers travelling through East Flanders could have experienced delays or missed connections beyond the immediate closure. No continuing local restrictions or damage costs were reported in the information available.
What it means for you
The affected line reopened after roughly 45 minutes, so the article identifies no continuing restriction requiring passengers to change future journeys. Anyone caught in the disruption should retain tickets and check the SNCB/NMBS journey planner or customer-service channels for the status of their specific service and any applicable passenger-rights claim. Freight customers cannot yet determine whether their shipment was involved because the operator and cargo remain unidentified. The next facts to watch are identification of the operator and any finding on why the brake remained locked.
Opposing perspectives
- Rail infrastructure perspective
Infrabel’s immediate priority is to stop traffic, give emergency crews safe access and inspect the railway before reopening it. Its spokesperson attributed the fires to sparks produced by a freight train’s locked brake.
- Rolling-stock responsibility
The unidentified freight operator controls the train and its maintenance, but no public technical report currently establishes why the brake remained engaged or whether an inspection should have detected the defect earlier.
Who, where and what
Key people, places and terms in this story
Country whose rail network includes the affected corridor.
Province containing the affected railway section and fire locations.
City at the western end of the disrupted Ghent-Antwerp passenger corridor.
Destination city on the passenger corridor temporarily disrupted by the fires.
City and station marking the other end of the affected section.
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Country whose rail network includes the affected corridor.
Province containing the affected railway section and fire locations.
City at the western end of the disrupted Ghent-Antwerp passenger corridor.
City and station marking the other end of the affected section.
Destination city on the passenger corridor temporarily disrupted by the fires.
Ghent station marking one end of the section where the four fires occurred.
Municipality where the largest trackside fire occurred.
Locality near which smaller trackside fires occurred.
One end of the railway section affected by the comparable trackside fires of 24 March 2011.
Other end of the railway section affected by the comparable trackside fires of 24 March 2011.
Belgium’s railway infrastructure and traffic manager for the affected railway section.
Federal parliamentary institution that discussed earlier Belgian railway embankment fires in 2011.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceDe MorgenPrimaryprimary· demorgen.be· 27 August 2026Retrieved 27 August 2026· 36 days ago· Dated
- View sourceHet Nieuwsbladcorroborating· nieuwsblad.be· 13 August 2026Retrieved 27 August 2026· 50 days ago· Dated
- View sourceBelgian Chamber of Representativesofficial· dekamer.be· 27 April 2011Retrieved 27 August 2026· 5637 days ago· Dated
- View sourceInfrabelofficial· infrabel.beRetrieved 27 August 2026
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This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by a Belgium Impulse editor before publication. methodology.