Child crushed to death by falling ice sculpture at Christmas market

'It cannot be put into words how sad this makes us,' country's PM says

An ice sculpture collapsed in a Christmas market in Luxembourg, resulting in the death of a toddler (Luxembourg Grand Ducal Police)

A toddler has died after being hit by a broken shard from an ice sculpture as it collapsed in a Christmas market in Luxembourg.

Created by artists at the Place Guillaume II Christmas market earlier on Sunday, witnesses say the sculpture later collapsed and broke into pieces.

Emergency services arrived quickly and attempted to revive the two-year-old boy at the scene, one bystander told local news site, L’essential

He succumbed to his injuries in an ambulance on the way to hospital on Sunday evening, according to the Luxembourg Times.

Officials said the Place Guillame II Christmas market had been closed following the death and that police were investigating how it occurred.

The municipal council of the City of Luxembourg said all other Christmas markets in the capital and other planned events would be cancelled on Monday out of respect for the victim and his family.

Luxembourg's prime minister, Xavier Bettel, offers his condolences to the victim’s family.

He said: “It cannot be put into words how sad this makes us. My deepest sympathies and condolences for the family.”

Local police and the public prosecutor’s office have both appealed for any witnesses to come forward with information to help with the investigation.