Seven people died and five were injured when a sleeper bus crashed into roadside embankments near southern Vietnam's Dong Nai City early Monday, authorities reported.
The vehicle, commonly used for overnight travel in Vietnam, was carrying passengers when it veered off the road at approximately 2:30 a.m., according to state media VN Express. The bus struck one embankment, continued moving, and then hit a second embankment before coming to a stop. Flames erupted from underneath the vehicle and rapidly engulfed the passenger cabin.
The driver, identified as Tran Thanh Hai, 41, stated that he alerted passengers to evacuate, but the fire spread too quickly for many to escape. Firefighters worked for half an hour to bring the blaze under control.
Authorities recovered seven bodies from the burned-out bus. The five injured passengers were transported to a local hospital. The cause of the crash and subsequent fire is currently under investigation.