BERLIN — A German train hit a truck Saturday on a road crossing in western Germany, killing two people and injuring at least 20 others, police said. Three of the injured were in severe condition.

Police spokesman Jochen Laschke said a regional train coming from the city of Osnabrueck and going to Ibbenbueren collided with a truck loaded with manure. Laschke said the accident happened in a rural area near Ibbenbueren, located 440 kilometers (275 miles) west of Berlin.

"The train was very crowded," Laschke said. "We got an emergency call at 11:31 a.m. today and rescue team, firefighters and psychologists from all over the region were activated to help."

Laschke said, according to the first investigators on the scene, the truck with the manure got stuck when trying to drive over the train tracks. The train crashed into the truck and came to a stop 200 meters (650 feet) down the track. He said the truck driver was not injured.

Ambulance and rescue teams from the region were at the scene and passengers who were not injured were receiving psychological help.

Germany is known for the quality of its train service but German train drivers held a strike earlier this month in a dispute with the national railway operator Deutsche Bahn over pay and work conditions.