A passenger train collided with a truck in rural South Africa on Thursday, killing four people and injuring dozens of others and bursting into flames, local media and rescue workers said.

Video of the crash in Free State province showed at least one train carriage on fire and billowing smoke. Passengers, some of whom were reportedly heading home after the holidays, were seen with their luggage on the side of the road near the wreck.

Four people died and about 40 were injured, emergency responders' group Netcare 911 said on Twitter. Another rescue group, ER24, said about 100 people were hurt.

Photographs of the crash site between Hennenman and Kroonstad showed that part of the train had derailed and power lines were damaged. A large vehicle was shown upside down beside a train carriage that appeared to have partly crushed another, smaller vehicle.