ITALY - At least 13 people were killed when a freight train derailed and set off an explosion and fire in a small Italian town, officials said today.

More than 50 people were injured, many seriously, in the crash in the Tuscan seaside town of Viareggio shortly before midnight.

The rear of the train crashed into homes beside the railway station and a car filled with liquefied natural gas exploded, causing at least two buildings to collapse and setting fire to a vast area.

Some 300 firefighters were digging through the rubble of collapsed or burned homes looking for casualties, amid fears that there could be more victims.

As crews worked to contain the blaze, teams specialising in dealing with nuclear, biological and chemical threats were being brought in to prevent the other gas tanks from exploding.

Officials said the fire was contained after several hours, but a smell of burning hung in the air.