Six people have been killed and 16 injured in a train accident on a Danish bridge linking the central islands of Zealand and Funen.

The victims were passengers on a train going from the city of Odense to Copenhagen, Danish Railways told Denmark’s TV2 channel.

Police spokesman Arne Gram said the passenger train “hit an unknown object”, but did not comment further. Danish media reported that a tarpaulin on a freight train hit the passenger train, which was going in the opposite direction, prompting it to brake suddenly.

TV2 showed images of a freight train with the tarpaulin that covered the train torn in pieces.

The Storebaelt bridge is part of a system of bridges and a tunnel linking the Danish islands.

In a statement, police urged passengers to contact next of kin to inform them of their safety and urged people not to share photos and videos of the accident.

The accident took place at about 8am local time on a road-and-rail bridge, part of a transport system consisting of a road suspension bridge and a railway tunnel.

The transport system was closed to cars overnight because of strong winds but trains could pass.

Road traffic resumed on Wednesday with a 50kph (31mph) speed limit.