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South Africa train crash leaves at least four dead and dozens injured as carriages collide with truck South Africa train crash leaves at least four dead and dozens injured as carriages collide with truck
(35 minutes later)
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.  Four people have died and dozens were injured after a passenger train collided with a truck and a car in South Africa.
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.  One of the train's carriages burst into flames after the accident in a rural area 110 miles south-west of Johannesburg.
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.  Rescue group ER24 said there were around 100 casualties after the Port Elizabeth-Johannesburg train hit a vehicle near Hanneman.
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.  Video of the crash in Free State province showed fire and smoke billowing from the carriage, with part of the train derailed and overhead power lines damaged.
AP A large vehicle was left upside down beside a train carriage that appeared to have partly crushed another, smaller vehicle. 
Passengers, some of whom were reportedly heading home after the New Year, were seen with their luggage on the side of the road close to the wreck. 
Private ambulance service Netcare 911 confirmed four people had died but listed the number of injured as around 40. 
Survivors told how they attempted to save fellow passengers trapped on the burning train.
“I saw around 12 cars on their side and one was already burning. We heard some women screaming when we came closer‚ so a few of us climbed over the cars to investigate,” Tiaan Esterhuizen told TimesLIVE.
“Two of the women were sort of on top of each other. Another was further back. Her legs were trapped. One of the women was shouting that there was a baby inside also‚” he said. “We searched but could not find the child.”
He added: “One man’s back was burned‚ others just had singed clothing. I am not really sure how the car was also involved.
"But other passengers told me they heard the train blowing its horn for a long time before the collision.”
The British Foreign Office said it was in contact with local authorities, and asked those affected to call +27 12 421 7500 in South Africa or 020 7008 1500 in the UK.
Additional reporting by AP