Bus bursts into flames after crash in southern Vietnam, killing 7

HANOI, Vietnam — Seven people died and five were injured when a bus carrying passengers overnight burst into flames after crashing into roadside embankments near southern Vietnam's Dong Nai City early Monday, authorities said.

The vehicle was a sleeper bus — a long-distance coach fitted with reclining beds instead of seats commonly used for overnight travel in Vietnam. State media VN Express said that the accident took place at around 2:30 a.m., when the bus veered off the road and struck an embankment. It continued moving before hitting a second embankment and coming to a stop.

Flames then erupted from underneath the vehicle and quickly engulfed the passenger cabin, it said.

The driver, identified as 41-year-old Tran Thanh Hai, said he shouted for passengers to evacuate, but the fire spread too quickly for many to escape.

It took half an hour for firefighters to bring the blaze under control.

Authorities recovered the bodies of seven victims from the burned-out bus. Five injured passengers were taken to a hospital.

The cause of the crash and fire is under investigation.