Car runs into carnival revelers in Belgium

Brussels: A car slammed at high speed into carnival revelers in a small town in southern Belgium early Sunday, killing six people and leaving 10 more with life threatening injuries.

The prosecutor's office said that in the early stages of the investigation there were no elements to suspect a terror motive.

A crowd of over 150 were gathered in Str py-Bracquegnies, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Brussels, at dawn for the start of celebrations of carnival, which had been abandoned for the previous two years because of COVID-19.

A car drove from the back at high speed. And we have a few dozen injured and unfortunately several people who are killed, Mayor Jacques Gobert said.

Several dozen revelers were also more lightly injured.

The driver and a second person were arrested when their car came to a halt hundreds or metres further on.

The prosecutor's office denied media reports that the crash may have been caused by a car that was being chased by police. What should have been a great party turned into a tragedy, said Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden.

King Philippe and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo were expected in Strepy later Sunday.