At least 10 people have been killed after a freight train hit a double-decker bus in Mexico, according to authorities.
The crash occurred in an industrial zone on the highway between Atlacomulco, a town about 115km (71 miles) northwest of Mexico City, and Maravatio in the Michoacan state on Monday.
Images from the crash showed portions of the top deck of the bus smashed in and its metal frame badly dented. First responders were on the scene and cordoned off the area.
Authorities said at least 61 others were injured in the incident.
Authorities work at the scene where a passenger bus was struck by a train in Atlacomulco, Mexico [File: Jorge Alvarado/Reuters]
The State of Mexico’s attorney general’s office said that seven of those killed were women and three were men.
The circumstances surrounding the crash were not immediately clear, although a video circulating online showed the bus inching across the train tracks as it waited in traffic.
Another video, from after the collision, showed the bus at rest to the side of the tracks, with the roof missing. People could be seen moving on the top level as the train slowed to a stop.
“Help me, help me,” a woman could be heard crying.
The train operator, Canadian Pacific Kansas City of Mexico, confirmed the accident and sent its condolences to the families of the victims.
Emergency vehicles are parked at the scene where a passenger bus was struck by a train in Atlacomulco, Mexico [Jorge Alvarado/Reuters]
The Calgary-based company said its personnel were on site and cooperating with authorities.
Rebeca Miranda told The Associated Press news agency her sister and her sister’s daughter-in-law were on the bus when it was hit at about 6:30am (12:30 GMT).
She said her sister was taken to hospital and was able to speak, but the other woman died in the accident. She said both were domestic workers.
“It’s really unfortunate,” she told the news agency. “Why? To beat the train. Those are lives.”
