People look for survivors at the blast site.

The explosion near a bus station in the town also wounded at least 40 people, some of them seriously, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

A witness said the blast occurred when a large truck bomb went off in a crowded area in the town. Videos and images circulated by activists on social media showed large plumes of smoke rising from the blast site, along with several fires and damaged buildings.

The videos and images circulated by activists showed several wounded people being carried away from the blast site, while firefighters tried to put out the fires.

A doctor at a local hospital said at least 14 people were killed and 40 more were wounded.

Several buildings were damaged in the blast and collapsed onto onlookers, two witnesses told reporters. People were being pulled out of the rubble, they said.