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At least three people have been killed in a knife attack at a creche in north-western Belgium, officials say.

The Belgian interior ministry said two children and one adult died after a man attacked people at the creche in Dendermonde, north-west of Brussels.

The ministry said the assailant had now been arrested.

There have been conflicting reports of the number of victims at the creche. It is thought at least 10 people have been injured in the attack.

Peter Cleymans, of the Dendermonde Ambulance Centre, told Reuters by telephone that a number of people were hurt.

"Ten, 15, 20 are injured, I don't know," he said.

Flemish TV station VTM had earlier reported three children and two adults had died, but the interior ministry have confirmed only three deaths in total.

Local authorities have put a disaster plan in place, and children have been evacuated from the creche to a nearby reception centre.

Three killed at Belgian crèche
Friday, 23 January 2009 16:55
Two children and an adult have been killed in a knife attack at a crèche in western Belgium.

Ambulance services said at least ten others were injured in the attack, which occurred in Dendermonde, 30km west of Brussels.

The attacker, aged around 30, who had his face painted black and white, rang the doorbell at the day-care centre at around 10am (9am Irish time).

AdvertisementWhen staff opened the door he ran up stairs and began attacking three of the children.

Around 18 children aged between three and six were there at the time.

The suspect fled the scene on a bicycle but was later picked up by police.


The childcare centre said a member of its staff had been killed and the attacker was not known to the crèche staff.

The Belgian Interior Ministry confirmed the attack and said a man had been arrested.

Officials said he had rung the doorbell at the Fabeltjesland (English: Storyland) nursery at 1000 local time (0900 GMT) and told staff he needed some information.

When they opened the door, he ran in and began attacking three of the infants.

"He quickly pulled out a knife and started using it on the children," said local prosecutor Christian Du Four.

"He then went up to another floor and started doing the same thing again."

The prosecutor said the man's face had been smeared with a white colouring but his eyes had been blackened.

One of those who died is believed to be a nursery employee and Dendermonde's deputy mayor, Theo Janssens, said several adults had been injured as they tried to put themselves between the attacker and the children.

"The guy just went crazy," Mr Janssens said. "There was blood everywhere, it was unbelievable, real carnage."