Eight dead in Belgian train crash

A train crash in Belgium has left at least eight people dead and dozens more injured.

Railway officials are quoted as saying that an empty train appeared to have crossed on to the wrong line, and crashed head on into another one packed with rush hour commuters.

Reports say it appeared that the driver of the empty train -- who was killed in the crash -- went through several warning signals.

The collision occurred near the southern town of Pecrot, about twenty kilometres south-east of Brussels.

The number of dead is expected to rise as the emergency services cut into the wreckage to search for trapped survivors. A crisis centre has been set up in the nearby town of Wavre

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service