At least four people have been killed and several others critically injured when a bus collided with a tour vehicle in Seattle.

Lieutenant Sue Stangl, of the Seattle fire department, told reporters on Thursday that 50 people were evacuated from the scene of the accident, nine with critical injuries and 12 with non-life threatening injuries.

Two people died, the fire department said in an online statement.

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Stangl said most of the victims were on board the bus as were the majority of those injured.

Media reports said most of passengers on the bus were students and staff from North Seattle College.

Some of those on board the bus and the “Ride the Ducks” vehicle – amphibious vehicles used for tours in several US cities – could be seen crawling out of the wreckage while others were carried away on stretchers.

Stangl said some 90 firefighters converged to the scene of the accident on Aurora Bridge which was shut down to traffic.

Images of the accident showed extensive damage to the left side of the bus, part of which was completely sheared off by the force of the crash.

The age or identity of the victims was not immediately available.
It was also not immediately clear what caused the accident.