Three people have been killed and at least three critically injured after a minivan crashed into people outside a metro station in Los Angeles, California.

The incident occurred during rush hour traffic on Tuesday, just before 6pm local time in the North Hollywood neighbourhood.

Authorities say the vehicle ended up under a food vendor’s tent.

On Tuesday night, the minivan was still on the sidewalk surrounded by debris with its driver’s side door left open and an airbag deployed.

Fire engines and emergency crews worked nearby as a helicopter flew overhead.

The driver, reported to be in his 60s, was taken out of the vehicle and was able to talk but appeared in shock.

Los Angeles Police Captain Warner Castillo said officials were not immediately able to determine the cause of the crash.

“We don’t know if this was done intentionally [or] if it was done by accident,” Castillo said at a news conference.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said investigators will now go through video footage of the crash frame by frame.

“It will probably be a prolonged but very deliberate investigation to determine what happened here,” he said.

Luis Luna-Guzman was working at a burger stand nearby when he heard a loud boom and saw people on the ground along with food and cups. People nearby started running toward the crash.

As he moved closer, he found an injured woman lying near the bike racks, her face, arms and legs bloody, he said, recalling her eyes were closed as she moaned in pain.

“I told her, ‘Don’t move, help is coming,’” Luna-Guzman said, adding that he saw a woman’s body nearby, while another woman was lying unmoving on the stairs leading to the station.

Authorities say two people, along with the driver, were injured.

One entrance to the metro remained closed Tuesday night, but otherwise the property was not impacted and the stations for the bus and subway were open, according to Jose Ubaldo, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.