Several people have been killed after a lorry crashed into a neighbourhood barbecue in the Netherlands.

At least three people died in the incident in the village of Nieuw-Beijerland on Saturday, Dutch broadcaster NOS said.

Police said they were investigating what caused the lorry to leave the road in the village, just south of Rotterdam, and continue down the side of a dyke.

“At some point a truck went off the road and crashed into the party,” a police spokesperson told local broadcaster Rijnmond.

It was unclear what had caused the incident, police said, or the precise number of people who had been killed or injured as the truck had not yet been removed from the site.

Pictures published by local media showed a heavy truck from a Spanish transport company at the bottom of a small dyke, with broken picnic tables at the scene.

Dutch newspaper de Gelderlander said the lorry driver – a 46-year-old man from Spain – was taken to the station for questioning.

According to police, he was said to be “very shocked,” the newspaper said.

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