Chinese police evacuated Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Monday after a car mounted a footpath, before running into crowds and bursting into flames, resulting in at least five deaths and dozens more injured.

Official news agency Xinhua said a vehicle had "crashed into railings" before bursting into flames shortly after noon on Monday (3pm AEDT), killing the driver and two passengers on board.

Authorities later updated the death toll to five, after two tourists – one Filipino and one Chinese national from Guangdong – succumbed to their injuries.

At least 38 others were injured including three other Filipinos and a Japanese tourist.