Three people were killed and three others injured when a train hit a car on a level crossing in Indonesia.

The vehicle was carrying six people including the driver in Malang regency, East Java, when it was dragged along the tracks for 200 metres on Thursday afternoon (September 10).

The train operators said they were not able to immediately stop the locomotive as the black car suddenly crossed while they were speeding through.

Shocked residents called the emergency services after seeing the car being dragged by the train.

Paramedics carefully removed the people inside the mangled vehicle before rushing them to the hospital.

One woman was pronounced dead at the scene and two other passengers later died in hospital. Three others were injured.

Sumbercupung Police Commissioner Effendi Budi investigated the crash site.

He said: "The driver did not appear to know that he was passing through a railroad crossing because there was no barrier. He may not have noticed the signs."

Budi added that officer will also probe whether the railway administrators can be held liable for failing to place a barrier on the crossing.