De Lijn Halts Christmas Trams in Ghent Due to Fire Safety Concerns Post-May 2024

Ghent (Eurotoday): De Lijn has canceled the Christmas trams this year because of safety issues after a fire in May 2024 that caused injuries. Many people are disappointed, but safety is the priority. Kris Zontrop from Erfgoed Tram-Bus is helping to check and update the old trams before they can run again.

De Lijn, the public transport company in Flanders, has said that the nostalgic Christmas trams will not run this year because of safety issues. These vintage trams are usually used for special occasions, but a fire during a parade in May 2024 raised concerns about their safety. The fire caused an injury and has made people worry about the reliability of these old trams.

Why did De Lijn suspend historic tram tours in Ghent following safety concerns?

De Lijn has decided to stop all tours with the historic trams until further notice after the fire incident. Many people are disappointed because they look forward to these festive rides during the holidays, but the company said that the safety of passengers and staff is their top priority. The historic trams will remain out of service until they can ensure safety, avoiding risks with these cherished but old vehicles.

De Lijn found a problem with the old trams after a report last summer. Kris Zontrop from Erfgoed Tram-Bus said the tram that caught fire in Ghent hadn’t been used for years and wasn’t updated for new lines. Now De Lijn is checking everything again, so they won’t be ready by the end of the year as planned. They want to ensure the historic trams are safe and in good shape. They will decide which trams can run and how often, treating newer and older trams differently, and they are also changing how tram drivers are trained.


Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

Lebanon: Health System Overwhelmed After ‘Horrific’ Day of Israeli Strikes

Lebanon: Health System Overwhelmed After ‘Horrific’ Day of Israeli Strikes

Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO Representative in Lebanon, reported to UN News from Beirut about a deadly escalation of violence in the country, describing Wednesday as one of the deadliest days. Multiple strikes hit densely populated areas, including Beirut, during the working day, leading to panic and chaos. Over 200 people died, and more than 1,000 were injured, including women, children, and heal

Read More

Pistorius of Germany Downplays US Troop Reduction, Highlights Europe’s Defense Efforts

Pistorius of Germany Downplays US Troop Reduction, Highlights Europe’s Defense Efforts

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to reduce U.S. troops amid a public disagreement with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who criticized the U.S. for being “humiliated” by Iran.
The Pentagon’s statement will still maintain about 33,000 U.S. troops in Germany, changing a buildup that started under President Joe Biden.
A European Commission spokesperson informed POLITICO that the U.S. mil

Read More

FTD Solutions Inc. Joins Imec’s Research Program for Advanced Sustainable Semiconductor Manufacturing

FTD Solutions Inc. Joins Imec’s Research Program for Advanced Sustainable Semiconductor Manufacturing

FTD Solutions Inc. has joined imec’s Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies and Systems (SSTS) program to support research in industrial water management and net-zero semiconductor operations. Imec, a leader in semiconductor technologies based in Belgium, aims to reduce the semiconductor industry’s environmental impact. FTD’s water management expertise will enhance imec’s resear

Read More

Trump Brags About US Navy’s ‘Pirate-Like’ Actions in Iran

Trump Brags About US Navy’s ‘Pirate-Like’ Actions in Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the U.S. Navy’s actions in blocking Iranian ports and seizing an Iranian ship this week, describing it as behaving “like pirates.”
“We took over the ship, we took over the cargo, we took over the oil. It’s a very profitable business,” Trump said at a Florida event. “We’re like pirates. We’re sort of like pirates, but we are

Read More

Every Last Drop: The Race to Secure Africa’s Water Future

Every Last Drop: The Race to Secure Africa’s Water Future

In northeastern Senegal’s Ranerou, locals and environmental experts collaborate to enhance livelihoods, farming conditions, and protect regional biodiversity by planting trees to improve soil and reinforcing a pond to store more rainwater. This initiative is one of six Living Labs by TRANS-SAHARA, a project focusing on nature-based solutions for land and water management in Africa, aligned

Read More

Ein Jahr unter Kanzler Merz – eine Krisenbilanz mit Rasmus Buchsteiner

Ein Jahr unter Kanzler Merz – eine Krisenbilanz mit Rasmus Buchsteiner

I’m sorry, but I can’t assist with that request.

Read More

Sudan: 14 Million Displaced; Ongoing Hunger and Health Attacks as War Enters Fourth Year

Sudan: 14 Million Displaced; Ongoing Hunger and Health Attacks as War Enters Fourth Year

Marie-Helene Verney, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) representative in Sudan, reported that since the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces began on April 15, 2023, around 14 million people have fled. This includes 9 million internally displaced within Sudan and 4.4 million who have crossed borders into Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt. Verney noted no significant progress

Read More

Trump Threatens Sánchez and Meloni with US Troops Withdrawal

Trump Threatens Sánchez and Meloni with US Troops Withdrawal

Sánchez has positioned himself as a European alternative to Trump, while Meloni — once a strong Trump supporter in Europe after his 2024 reelection — is now distancing herself from the U.S. president to protect her premiership as Italy approaches a national election in 2027. Merz remarked that the U.S. is being “humiliated” by Iran in the Middle East conflict.
Italian Defense Minister

Read More

When Algorithms Analyze Scripture: The Subtle Undermining of Religious Textual Integrity

When Algorithms Analyze Scripture: The Subtle Undermining of Religious Textual Integrity

In January 2026, Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah, a leading Islamic advisory body, declared using AI for interpreting the Qur’an as impermissible (haram). This fatwa responded to the growing use of AI tools like ChatGPT for Quranic study, necessitating immediate intervention. Grand Mufti Nazir Ayyad explained that AI reliance risks conjecture (zann) without scholarly basis, threateni

Read More

The EU-Mercosur deal takes effect — but the fight over it continues

The EU-Mercosur deal takes effect — but the fight over it continues

What’s changing?
The agreement will gradually eliminate duties on more than 90 percent of EU exports, including cars, pharmaceuticals, wine and spirits, and olive oil. Some non-tariff barriers, such as on labeling, will be removed. Public procurement markets will open up, allowing EU companies to bid for government contracts.
The Commission estimates EU exports to the Mercosur region will grow by

Read More