On the evening of 1/3, a sleeper bus carrying 44 passengers, driven by Phan Tan Nguyen Kha, 44, from Kon Tum ward, was traveling on the Dong bypass. The bus was heading from old Kon Tum towards Ho Chi Minh City when the incident occurred around 7:50 p.m.

The fire erupted unexpectedly as the bus reached the Ea Nhai lake area in Toan Thang 2 village, Ea Knuec commune. The driver and assistant promptly used mini fire extinguishers to combat the flames, simultaneously assisting all passengers in quickly evacuating the vehicle.

A sleeper bus engulfed in flames on the Dong bypass, old Kon Tum province. *Photo: Residents provided*

Initial information suggests the fire originated from the front wheel area after the front passenger-side tire exploded. This explosion led to friction with the fuel tank and road surface, generating sparks that ignited the bus.

By approximately 8:15 p.m., fire police arrived, brought the blaze under control, and fully extinguished it. Krong Buk traffic police station collaborated with Ea Knuec commune police to manage traffic flow and reroute vehicles in the affected area.

Authorities confirmed no human casualties resulted from the incident, though the front section of the bus sustained damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Tran Hoa