10 minutes of chaos in fatal bus crash

After a powerful collision on the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet expressway, the doors of a passenger bus jammed shut. With a burning smell filling the air, dozens of panicked passengers smashed windows to escape and help the injured.

On the morning of 9/7, Vo Duc Manh, 22, from Dak Lak, was one of the lucky survivors of a collision between two sleeper buses that killed three people. Sitting in shock at the emergency room of Binh Thuan General Hospital, he suffered minor abrasions and was discharged soon after. "Many people who were on the same trip are still being treated inside," he said.

Manh boarded the bus in Tuy An the previous afternoon, heading to Ho Chi Minh City for work. In the early morning hours, he was awakened by a loud crash and violent shaking. "There was a burning smell, and everyone thought the bus was on fire, so there was panic to find a way out," Manh recounted.

Passenger Vo Duy Manh sits in front of the Emergency Department, Binh Thuan General Hospital, on the morning of 9/7. Photo: Viet Quoc

Passenger Vo Duy Manh sits in front of the Emergency Department, Binh Thuan General Hospital, on the morning of 9/7. Photo: Viet Quoc

A bus attendant, 19-year-old Ho Quang Son, showed him how to use the emergency hammer to break the window next to his seat. "I followed his instructions immediately, helping everyone get out. It was only after I jumped off the bus that I realized I didn't have time to grab my luggage," he said.

Son was one of two attendants for the Nhu Y 78 bus company, and this was his first trip in his new job. That night, he had been allowed to sleep early, so he was in the back of the bus. "I was sleeping when I heard an extremely loud noise. I woke up to see the front of the bus crumpled, the doors wouldn't open, and people were screaming everywhere," Son recalled.

Inside the bus, children were crying and women were screaming. Son immediately grabbed the emergency hammer and, along with Manh, broke the windows, helping the elderly and children escape first. After about 10 minutes, all the passengers were safely off the bus. Some injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital.

Passengers crawl out of the wrecked Nhu Y 78 bus after breaking the windows. Photo: Nguyen Tu

Passengers crawl out of the wrecked Nhu Y 78 bus after breaking the windows. Photo: Nguyen Tu

Duong Tuan, 33, from Ho Chi Minh City, was also on the bus. He said he was in the middle row, charging his phone when the accident happened. "I heard a huge bang and was thrown forward. I quickly unplugged my phone and saw that it was around 12:45 a.m.," he said.

Immediately after, chaos erupted on the bus. There was a burning smell, passengers yelled "fire," and scrambled to break the windows and find a way out. Tuan and several others helped break another side window, prioritizing the elderly and children. He and a group of passengers then stood by the side of the road, waiting for an ambulance.

According to Tuan, most of the injured were passengers on the Nhu Y 78 bus because it was traveling at high speed when it hit the back of the other bus. He saw several people calling for help on their phones. Soon, many ambulances arrived at the scene and transported victims to Binh Thuan General Hospital, about 30 km away.

According to authorities, the accident occurred around midnight on 9/7 on the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet expressway, in Ham Liem commune, Lam Dong province, killing three and injuring over 40. Twenty-one victims are still being treated at the hospital.

Victims are being treated at Binh Thuan General Hospital on the morning of 9/7. Photo: Nguyen Tu

Victims are being treated at Binh Thuan General Hospital on the morning of 9/7. Photo: Nguyen Tu

That morning, representatives of both bus companies went to the hospital to help cover the costs of transporting the deceased back to their hometowns for burial and to coordinate care for those still hospitalized. They also arranged transportation for those discharged to continue their journey to Ho Chi Minh City.

Initial investigations reveal the Nhu Y 78 bus, driven by Tran Quang Cuong, 42, was traveling from Tuy Hoa to Ho Chi Minh City with over 30 passengers. Near the Ma Lam intersection, it rear-ended a Thien Tri sleeper bus (Ninh Thuan license plate) that had stopped in the outer lane due to a mechanical issue.

At the time of the collision, the driver of the Thien Tri bus, Nguyen Anh Vu, 40, and his attendant, Trinh Gia Bao, were inspecting the rear of their vehicle. Both died at the scene. An attendant on the Nhu Y bus also died, trapped in the front of the vehicle. The Nhu Y driver sustained only minor injuries.

Lam Dong province authorities investigated the scene, interviewed witnesses, and reviewed dashcam footage to determine the cause of the accident.