Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Aerial footage of train derailment in Bulgaria

A train carrying liquid petroleum gas has derailed and exploded in Bulgaria, killing at least five people.

More than 20 people are being treated in hospital with burns and other injuries after the incident in the village of Hitrino, local media say.

The authorities ordered an evacuation as firefighters battled the blaze.

At least 20 buildings were damaged in the derailment and explosion, spokesperson Nikolay Nikolov told Bulgaria's Nova television.

Two tanks hit an electricity line and exploded when the train derailed near the village station at about 05:30 local time (03:30 GMT), according to several reports.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, who arrived at the village several hours after the blast, told reporters: "there will be more casualties."

Several people suffered burns to more than 90% of their bodies, he added, and appealed to people in the region to donate blood to the local hospital's supply.

Image copyright AP Image caption No reason has yet been given for the derailment

Image copyright AP Image caption Many buildings were damaged in the explosion

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Smoke continued to rise over the village of Hitrino hours after the explosion

Hitrino, a town of around 800 people, is located in Bulgaria's north-eastern Shumen province, about 60 miles (100km) from the Black Sea.

Transport Minister Ivalyo Moskovski and other top rail officials were also going to the scene.</s>Four people have been killed and another 12 injured under the ruins of at least 20 buildings after a cargo train carrying propane-butane derailed.

Four people have been killed and another 12 injured under the ruins of at least 20 buildings after a cargo train carrying propane-butane derailed.

Residents evacuated and at least four killed as propane-butane train derails and explodes

The incident occurred in the northeastern Bulgarian village of Hitrino early Saturday morning

"The explosion has also caused a fire. We do not expect a second blast, but the people from the village are being evacuated," said Nikolai Nikolov, head of fire safety and civil defence at the police.

Some 150 firemen are putting out the fire and searching for survivors.

People who sustained injuries after a cargo train derailed and exploded in northeastern Bulgaria are seen in a hospital in Shumen, Bulgaria, December 10, 2016. Bulphoto Agency/via REUTERS

Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

The accident happened at 5.40am local time and video from the scene shows many houses in the village of 800 on fire as ambulances take the injured to hospital.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov is travelling to the village, some 280 km northeast of Sofia and home to around 800 people.

More to follow...

Online Editors</s>SOFIA (Reuters) - Seven people were killed in a village in northeastern Bulgaria when a cargo train derailed and exploded, demolishing about 50 houses and public buildings, officials said on Saturday.

Several dozens were injured and at least five of the victims remain in critical condition in hospital, health authorities said.

Bulgaria’s government said it is preparing to announce Monday a day of national mourning following the deadly incident.

Twelve of the private train’s tanks, carrying propylene, very volatile and highly flammable gas, derailed at the rail station of the village. One of the tanks struck a high-power line and exploded in flames early on Saturday, police said.

The powerful blast flattened dozens of houses and public buildings, leaving people under the ruins.

Officials ordered a full evacuation of the village so that the propylene can be safely removed. Specialists are conducting an operation to transfer gas from the tanks of the train at the center of the blast.

“The draining of tanks is a very complex and slow process,” outgoing Prime Minister Boiko Borisov a few hours after arriving at the village, some 380 km northeast of the capital Sofia and home to around 1,000 people, according to a police official. “It should be done very carefully.”

The operation is expected to take a day or two to complete.

“Two blasts have caused a serious fire and ruined at least 20 buildings. There are many people injured ... many with burns,” Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov said.

An 18-year-old man has died of his wounds in the hospital in the northern town of Shumen, a hospital official said.

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Some 200 firemen are putting out the fires and are cooling the derailed tanks to avoid further blasts. Rescue teams, including sniffer dogs, are searching for survivors in houses near the train lines.

“I helped take out six people under the ruins. Three were dead, three alive. There are no houses left standing near the incident - within 300 meters from the railways,” said Stefan Stefanov, who lives in Hitrino.

Prosecutors said they are investigating the incident. Possible speeding or malfunctioning of the train tanks are among the most likely reasons for the incident, the head of the parliamentary commission Nastimir Ananiev said.</s>Five people were killed in northeastern Bulgaria following a gas explosion on a derailed tanker train early Saturday, national radio reported. Officials said at least 23 people were injured, many with severe burns.

Nikolay Nikolov, who heads the country's firefighting department, said at least 20 buildings in the village of Hitrino were destroyed when containers of gas exploded at 5:40 a.m. local time (0340 GMT).

Two tank cars, carrying propane-butane and propylene, derailed at the station in Hitrino, hit electricity lines and exploded, police officials said. The engine driver survived and has been questioned, police said.

Officials earlier had described the cargo as liquefied natural gas.

Video footage from the scene showed many houses in the village of 800 on fire and ambulances taking the injured to hospitals.

Hitrino mayor Nuridin Basri told reporters that children had been buried under the rubble of a house that collapsed.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, who arrived at the site of the blast, urged citizens to donate blood to address shortages at nearby hospitals.

"There will be more casualties," Borisov told reporters.

He said several people suffered more than 90 percent burns and that damage from the explosion was extensive.

The train had been traveling from the Bulgarian Black Sea port city of Burgas to the Danubian city of Ruse.</s>At least five people were killed and 25 injured when a cargo train derailed and exploded in the northeastern Bulgarian village of Hitrino, demolishing around 20 buildings, police said on Saturday.

At least three of the victims remain in critical condition and the number is likely to rise, authorities said.

“There will be more casualties for sure,” outgoing Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said after arriving to the village, some 280 km northeast of capital Sofia and home to around 800 people.

Seven of the train’s tanks, carrying propane-butane and propylene, derailed at the station of the village, hit electricity line and exploded in flames on Saturday, National Railway Infrastructure Company’s general director Mincho Lambrev said.

“Two blasts have caused a serious fire and ruined at least 20 buildings. There are many people injured ... many with burns,” Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov said.

An 18-year-old man has died of his wounds in the hospital in the northern town of Shumen, a hospital official said.

Some 150 firemen are trying to put out the fire and are searching for survivors in houses near the train lines.

Police said they are investigating the incident.

Borisov appealed to citizens of Shumen donate blood to the local hospital where the injured are being transported. (Editing by Louise Heavens)</s>Four people were killed and another 25 were injured after a cargo train derailed and exploded in the northeastern Bulgarian village of Hitrino, demolishing at least 20 buildings, police said on Saturday.

Two of the train's tanks, carrying propane-butane and propylene, derailed at the station of the village, hit electricity line and exploded in flames early on Saturday, a senior police officer said.

"Two blasts have caused a serious fire and ruined at least 20 buildings. There are many people injured ... many with burns," Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov said.

Some 150 firemen are trying to put out the fire and are searching for survivors in houses near the train lines.

Police said they are investigating the incident.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov is travelling to the village, some 280 km northeast of Sofia and home to around 800 people. Borisov appealed to Bulgarians in the northern city of Shumen to donate blood to the local hospital where the injured are being transported.</s>AT least seven people have been killed and around 30 are injured after a train derailed and containers of gas exploded in Bulgaria in the country’s worst rail accident in almost a decade.

More than 20 buildings in the village of Hitrino in north east Bulgaria - including the local railway station - were destroyed in the blast early yesterday morning as containers carrying liquefied petroleum gas exploded and sparked a major fire which spread to the village.

Bulgarian prime minister Boiko Borisov warned that the death toll was likely to rise further as rescue workers searched the rubble. At least five of the injured are said to be in a critical condition.

Officials evacuated the entire village of 1,000 people yesterday afternoon, amid fears of further casualties as experts worked to stabilise the cannisters.

Nikolay Nikolov, head of the country’s firefighting department, said: “Basically everything around the perimeter of the blast was destroyed, including the regional police station and the railway station. The destruction is considerable.”

Around 200 firefighters, rescue team members and police officers were on the scene yesterday, where workers from oil refinery Neftochim Bourgas had been brought in to carry out a risky operation to transfer gas out of the cannisters in a bid to prevent further explosions.

Eyewitnesses said they were woken by the blast, which took place at 5.40am, when most residents were asleep.

“At 5.40 we heard [what we thought was] thunder,” said one man. “Then we thought that it was an earthquake. I went out with my wife and children and saw the flames in the centre of the village.”

Local media reported that the cisterns - which were loaded with propylene liquefied petroleum gas and mounted on a cargo train travelling from from the Bulgarian Black Sea town of Bourgas to Romania - exploded as the train left the tracks near Hitrino, near Shoumen, while moving along the Ruse-Varna railway line.

Dr Atanas Atanasov, director of the hospital in Shoumen, told local radio station Darik Radio that the emergency department had received more than 20 people, many of them suffering from severe burns and fractures. The dead are believed to be aged between 20 and 50 years old.

“There are several people who are in very serious condition,” Dr Atanasov said.

The incident is believed to be the worst train accident in Bulgaria since 2008, when nine people burned to death in a sleeper car owned by the Bulgarian State Railways in the region of Dobrich.

Prime minister Mr Borisov arrived in the village yesterday morning. He has urged citizens to donate blood to address shortages at nearby hospitals.

“There will certainly be more victims,” he said. “It will take at least 48 hours to complete the withdrawal of the tankers in Hitrino. It is very dangerous, we need to take all safety precautions.”

He added: “The damage is such that money will be able to repair it, but unfortunately, those who died can not be returned.”

It is expected a day of mourning will take place in memory of the victims on Monday.

Violeta Bulc, the European Union’s minister for transport, said on Twitter: “My thoughts are with victims of a train accident in Hitrino, Bulgaria. I wish all injured a speedy recovery. Ready to assist Bulgarian authorities.”

Bulgaria’s Transport Ministry has set up a crisis headquarters to investigate the accident.

Local media quoted Stanko Stankov, owner of Bulmarket, the operator of the train as saying that it was not clear how the gas tank in the middle of the train had exploded. It is believed the driver survived the incident and is due to be interviewed by investigators</s>An aerial view shows the site where a train transporting LNG derailed and exploded in the northeastern Bulgarian village of Hitrino on December 10, 2016. At least five people died and 27 were injured in the blast, emergency services said. Around 20 homes were smashed and many of the residents of the village of some 800 people were evacuated. | Photo Credit: AFP

Five people were killed in northeastern Bulgaria following a gas explosion on a derailed tanker train early Saturday, national radio reported. Officials said at least 27 people were injured, many with severe burns.

Nikolay Nikolov, who heads the country’s firefighting department, said at least 20 buildings in the village of Hitrino were destroyed when containers of gas exploded at 5-40 a.m. local time (0340 GMT).

Two tank cars, carrying propane-butane and propylene, derailed at the station in Hitrino, hit electricity lines and exploded, police officials said. The engine driver survived and has been questioned, police said.

Officials earlier had described the cargo as liquefied natural gas.

Video footage from the scene showed many houses in the village of 800 on fire and ambulances taking the injured to hospitals.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, who arrived at the site of the blast, urged citizens to donate blood to address shortages at nearby hospitals.

“There will be more casualties,” Mr. Borisov told reporters.

The train had been traveling from the Bulgarian Black Sea port city of Burgas to the Danubian city of Ruse.</s>Four people were confirmed dead in northeastern Bulgaria following a gas explosion on a derailed train early Saturday, firefighters in Bulgaria said. At least 23 people were injured.

Nikolay Nikolov, who heads the country's firefighting department, said at least 20 buildings in the village of Hitrino were destroyed when containers of liquefied petroleum gas exploded at 5:40 a.m. local time (0340 GMT).

The immediate surroundings of the disaster site were evacuated, and the cause of the disaster was unclear, Nikolov said.

Video footage from the scene showed many houses in the village of 800 on fire and ambulances taking the injured to hospitals.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov was traveling to the village, the government announced. He urged citizens to donate blood to address shortages at the nearby hospitals.</s>The blast damaged more than 50 houses and public buildings in the village of Hitrino, and dozens of homes have been evacuated, the ministry said.

At least 12 people were rescued from the damaged buildings, according to the ministry. Firefighters were trying to extinguish flames, cool the overturned gas tankers and search for any other survivors.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov went to the village after the explosion. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the derailment.

Hitrino is a village of about 800 people about 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of Bulgaria's capital, Sofia.
At least seven people have been killed and 25 others are injured after an explosion caused by the derailment of a train carrying propane and butane in the Bulgarian village of Hitrino, near Shumen.