A collision between a goods train and a bus killed at least eight people and injured 35 in the Thai capital Bangkok on Saturday, police said.

Firefighters and rescuers cordoned off the collision site, with investigators seen peering into the burnt-out shell of the bus.

Pedestrians were ushered away from the busy downtown intersection, which is used by tens of thousands of vehicles each day.

“Eight people have died and 35 others were injured,” Bangkok police chief Urumporn Koondejsumrit said.

The collision happened early in the afternoon, with images on social media showing the train approaching a level crossing at a moderate speed before colliding with the bus, which instantly burst into flames.

“The fire is now out and we are trying to recover the bodies,” Urumporn said.

The flames appeared to spread quickly.