7 killed, 5 injured as sleeper bus bursts into flames in southern Vietnam

A sleeper bus traveling along National Highway 1 through Dong Nai City burst into flames early Monday morning after crashing into a roadside embankment, leaving seven people dead and five others injured. According to local authorities, the 24-bed bus was passing through Hung Thinh Commune, over 30 kilometers from Dong Nai's capital Bien Hoa City, at around 2:30 a.m. when it veered and struck an embankment on the right side of the road. The moment when the sleeper bus bursts into flames on National Highway 1 through Dong Nai City, July 21, 2026. Video by Thanh HuongFollowing the impact, the bus continued moving before crashing into a second embankment and coming to a complete stop.Flames erupted from underneath the vehicle and quickly engulfed the entire cabin.The driver, 41-year-old Tran Thanh Hai, shouted for the passengers to evacuate, but the fire spread too rapidly for many to escape the wreckage in time. A passenger bus is burned down in Dong Nai City, July 21, 2026. Photo by Thanh Huong Dong Nai's Fire Prevention, Firefighting, and Rescue Police immediately dispatched emergency personnel and two specialized fire engines to the scene. First responders were able to bring the blaze under control after about 30 minutes.Upon inspecting the charred interior of the bus, authorities recovered the bodies of the seven deceased victims.The five injured passengers were rushed to Thong Nhat General Hospital for emergency medical treatment. One of those victims, who sustained only minor injuries, has since been discharged.