Several passengers were reportedly killed when an Amtrak train derailed after hitting a dump truck at a crossing near Kansas City, Missouri, on Monday.

Amtrak officials said the train was travelling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it collided with a vehicle close to the city of Mendon at 1.42pm central time.

First responders confirmed to several local news outlets that there were “multiple fatalities”.

No further information was immediately available.

One passenger was being flown to University Hospital in Columbia, and three others were being transferred by ambulance, a hospital spokesperson told ABC 17.

Photos of the crash site posted to Twitter showed passengers being helped from an overturned carriage.

A witness told The Daily Beast that it appeared to be a “mass casualty event”.

In a statement, Amtrak said: “There are approximately 243 passengers onboard with early reports of injuries.

“Local authorities are currently assisting customers and we have deployed Amtrak resources to assist.”

A passenger on the train, Robert Nightingale, told the news outlet he had fallen asleep when he heard a train rock from side to side.

The compartment that he was travelling in then keeled over.

He was able to escape uninjured after climbing into a hallway and out of a window.

Another passenger, Dax McDonald, posted photos of the crash site and video of the aftermath to Twitter.

He said uninjured passengers had been taken to Northwestern High School in Mendon.

“So thankful for the people here, safely at the Northwestern high school near Mendon,” Mr McDonald wrote.

“This town pulled together to help everyone.”

The crash came one day after an Amtrak train crashed into a vehicle that was obstructing tracks near Brentwood, California, killing three people and injuring two others.