On the evening of 9/1, after completing periodic maintenance in Da Nang, driver Nguyen Van Thanh, 40, was driving a Lai Chau-registered sleeper bus alone from Da Nang to his company in Lai Chau. Around 4 a.m. on 10/1, as he reached the Ham Nghi - Vung Ang expressway, in Cam Lac commune (formerly part of Cam Xuyen district), fire suddenly erupted from the front of the vehicle.

The scene of the bus fire, early morning 10/1. Photo: Hung Le

Thanh pulled the vehicle to the roadside and exited, attempting to extinguish the flames with a mini fire extinguisher, but without success. Within about 5 minutes, the fire spread rapidly, engulfing the entire bus, with thick black smoke rising tens of meters high.

Upon receiving the report, 15 officers from the Ha Tinh Police Department's Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Division, along with two fire trucks, arrived at the scene and sprayed water to douse the flames. After approximately 30 minutes, the fire was brought under control, but the bus was completely destroyed.

Authorities worked to extinguish the sleeper bus fire. Video: Hung Le

The fire caused traffic difficulties for vehicles passing through the area. By early morning, authorities completed clearing the scene and restored traffic flow. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

The Ham Nghi - Vung Ang expressway spans nearly 54 km, with a total investment exceeding 9,700 ty dong. Construction commenced in 2023, and the entire route opened for operation on 28/4. Phase one features four lanes, with a maximum speed of 90 km per hour and a minimum speed of 60 km per hour.

The bus was completely destroyed after the fire. Photo: Hung Le

Recently, a series of sleeper bus fires have occurred. On 2/1, a Ha Tinh-registered bus carrying over 10 people unexpectedly caught fire while traveling on the Dien Chau – Bai Vot expressway, resulting in a 12th-grade student being trapped and dying.

Duc Hung