Around 2:15 h, a tanker truck, previously registered in Vinh Phuc (now Phu Tho), carrying javen water, was traveling on National Highway 37 from Phu Tho towards Son La. Upon reaching Cao Da slope, the vehicle suddenly broke through the guardrail and plunged into a ravine about 100 meters deep.

The 37-year-old male driver, a resident of Vinh Thanh commune, Phu Tho province, was ejected from the cabin and died at the scene. The tanker truck was severely damaged, with its front section and the tank separating. The accident also damaged 10 tire guardrail posts and 12 meters of two-layer corrugated steel guardrail.

The accident scene on the morning of 21/4. Photo: Xuan Hoa

Local authorities, in coordination with rescue teams, deployed cranes to recover the victim's body and lift the vehicle back to the road surface. Investigators have identified driver drowsiness as the initial cause of the accident.

National Highway 37, stretching over 400 kilometers, serves as a vital transportation artery connecting northern mountainous provinces such as Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, and Son La with the Red River Delta region, including Hung Yen, Hai Phong, and Bac Ninh.

The section of the highway traversing Son La province, spanning nearly 100 kilometers, presents challenging terrain characterized by numerous steep slopes, deep ravines, and hundreds of sharp, blind curves.

Viet An