3 killed, several injured as Hanoi-bound passenger bus overturns

The accident occurred at around 12:00 pm when the bus, carrying about 25 to 27 passengers, was descending Van Hoi slope on Provincial Road 172 in Lao Cai’s Viet Hong Commune.

The vehicle is believed to have lost its brakes, causing it to tip over on its side.

"Initial reports confirm that three passengers have died, and many others were injured and taken to hospital for emergency treatment," a local official told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

At the scene, the bus lay on its side with shattered windows. 

Local residents smashed the windshield to rescue trapped passengers.

Police and rescue teams were on site investigating the cause of the fatal accident.