Two men were killed after a train travelling at 60mph hit the car they were in at a railway crossing.
The incident, which happened just before 7.40pm last night near Great Coates station in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, killed the car's driver and passenger but did not injure any commuters on the train.
British Transport Police said that one of the victims died at the scene and the other on their way to hospital following the crash with the train, which was running from Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe.
Investigation: Police officers gather evidence at the scene in Great Coates, Grimsby, today after two men were killed last night
Clear-up: A train at the scene of the collision today as Network Rail workers removed the last remaining debris from the line
A BTP spokesman said: ‘BTP and Humberside Police are attending an incident at Great Coates crossing in Cocks Lane, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, in which a car has been struck by a train.
‘The incident was reported at 7.39pm today (Tuesday). The ambulance service is also on scene and two people believed to be the driver and passenger of the motor vehicle have been declared dead.
‘There are no reports of any injuries to anyone on the train, the 19.26 TransPennine Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe service, travelling at about 60mph at the time of the collision.
‘All passengers have been taken off. The rail accident investigation branch has been informed. This is an automated half-barrier crossing.’
Repairs: A mangled metal railing which was damaged in the accident last night is cut off and removed
Search: Police officers at the scene look for evidence as they investigate the double fatal train accident today
Emergency response: British Transport Police said that one of the victims died at the scene and the other on their way to hospital following the crash with the train, which was running from Cleethorpes to Scunthorpe
Probe: Damage following the crash near Great Coates station in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, could be seen last night
The crash meant that buses replaced First TransPennine Express trains between Scunthorpe and Cleethorpes and Northern Rail services between Habrough and Cleethorpes for the rest of the night.
Great Coates is a village station with two platforms and the first stopping point west of Grimsby Town.
Lyndsey Downes, who lives near the scene of the accident, dialled the emergency services after she and her husband heard 'an extremely loud bang', the BBC said.
'We (then) saw some sort of debris flying past the window and the train screeching to a halt,' she said.
'We opened the door to go outside to see what it was and one of my neighbours shouted to ring 999, which I did.
Accident scene: The level crossing where the car was hit by a train was still blocked off for cars today following the double death in Great Coates, Grimsby
'I then kept out of the way and I could see it all unfolding up the road.'
She said that her neighbours tried to help at the scene before paramedics arrived.
Nicola Maasdam, chairwoman of Great Coates Village Council, told the BBC residents would be in 'shock'.
'It’s absolutely tragic and our thoughts go out to the families of those people who have lost their lives,' she said.
'There will be shock. It’s such a small village and we haven’t had an incident on the railway for years and years, and for something as serious as this, it is really upsetting.'