Seven people, including three children, were killed after a sleeper bus crashed and caught fire on National Highway 1 in Hung Thinh Commune, Dong Nai City, in the early hours of July 21, according to local authorities.

The tragedy has left several others injured and prompted an ongoing investigation into one of Vietnam's deadliest road accidents this year.

Authorities said the sleeper coach, registration 50E-447.02, was traveling from Khanh Hoa Province to Ho Chi Minh City with 37 passengers, a driver and an assistant on board.

At around 2 a.m., the vehicle crashed near Km1839+300 on National Highway 1 before bursting into flames. The fire spread rapidly through the passenger compartment, killing seven people and injuring several others.

According to the Vietnam Register, the bus was owned by Nam Lu Trading and Transport Co., Ltd.

The 24-berth sleeper coach was manufactured in Vietnam in 2026, first registered and inspected on January 28, 2026, with its current inspection certificate valid until January 27, 2028.

The vehicle was powered by a 10,979cc diesel engine producing a maximum output of 301kW at 1,900rpm.

Survivors recall desperate escape

Passengers who escaped described waking to screams after a loud impact.

Nguyen Thi Kim Trang, who was traveling with her young grandchild near the front of the bus, said she heard a loud crash before seeing flames erupt near the entrance.

"Everything happened so quickly," she recalled. "There were screams everywhere. Smoke and heat filled the bus within moments."

Holding her grandchild tightly, Trang made her way toward the front door, where she said the driver helped them get off the bus. "Once we got outside, I just ran as far away from the bus as I could," she said.

Looking back, she saw flames engulf the entire vehicle while thick black smoke prevented anyone from reaching passengers trapped toward the rear. She said the entire sequence - from spotting the fire to the bus becoming fully engulfed - lasted only a few minutes.

"If we had been any slower, I don't know what would have happened," she said.

Another survivor, Nguyen Thi Uyen Thu, said she had been asleep while traveling to Ho Chi Minh City for medical treatment.

She abandoned all of her belongings - including medical documents, her mobile phone and personal items - to escape. "I had to get off the bus as quickly as possible," she said.

With passengers rushing simultaneously toward the narrow exit between the sleeper berths, chaos quickly unfolded inside the vehicle. Although physically unharmed, Thu said she remains deeply shaken by the memories.

"I was lucky to survive. Luggage can be replaced, but at that moment, staying alive was all that mattered," she added.

Investigation underway

Initial findings indicate the bus struck roadside barriers before catching fire. According to investigators, the driver later told police he became drowsy and lost concentration before the crash.

The collision reportedly caused the engine to stall, disabling the pneumatic system used to operate the main passenger door. As smoke and flames spread rapidly from the entrance area, the driver and his assistant broke open an exit and helped evacuate many passengers, but the fire intensified too quickly for rescuers to reach those trapped at the rear of the bus.

Authorities said breathalyzer and drug tests conducted after the crash found no alcohol in the driver's system and negative results for narcotics. The investigation into the exact cause of the accident is continuing.

Hoang Anh