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Six people have died and another seven have been injured after a lorry crashed into a neighbourhood barbecue in the Netherlands.

Dutch police originally said two people had been killed in the incident in the village of Nieuw-Beijerland on Saturday.

But officials have now confirmed that the number of dead has reached six and that one of those in hospital is in a critical condition.

Police said they were investigating what caused the lorry to leave the road in the village, just south of Rotterdam, and continue down the side of a dyke.

“At some point a truck went off the road and crashed into the party,” a police spokesperson told local broadcaster Rijnmond.

It was unclear what had caused the incident, police said.

Pictures published by local media showed a heavy truck from a Spanish transport company at the bottom of a small dyke, with broken picnic tables at the scene.

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Police spokeswoman Mirjam Boers said the truck driver, a 46-year-old Spanish man, is suspected of causing the crash, adding that he was not thought to have been under the influence of alcohol.

He is understood to have been taken to a police station for questioning.

Police worked into the night around the truck before a crane and a tow truck hauled it back on to the road.

Dutch newspaper de Gelderlander reported that the lorry driver was said to be “very shocked”.

“For the time being, we are keeping all scenarios about the facts open,” police said in a statement.

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