Brussels metro and buses halted after inspector killed

Bus, tram and metro drivers in Brussels walked out in protest on Saturday and vowed not to return to work until Tuesday after one of their colleagues was beaten to death.    

The victim, an inspector with the STIB public transport service, had been called to investigate a minor collision between a bus and a car early on Saturday when he was attacked.    

The inspector, described by Belgian media as a 56-year-old man of Albanian origin who had worked for the STIB for 29 years, died of head injuries later in the day, prompting colleagues to cancel all services in the Belgian capital.    

Belgian media said the suspected assailant was arrested on Saturday afternoon.    

A number of bus and tram drivers have faced violence on buses and trams, but STIB said this was the first time one of its personnel had been killed.    

"Initially the drivers said they would resume work after today, but now they insist on having a meeting with the Interior Minister," an STIB spokeswoman said.    

She said a meeting was scheduled for Tuesday but the STIB hoped it might be brought forward to Monday.     

Reuters