A small bus caught fire while driving along a road in Dai Nghia Town, My Duc District, Hanoi, on December 18.

The bus on fire

The driver and passengers escaped from the 29 seat minibus without injury. The vehicle was destroyed, leaving only the steel frame. 

A representative from Ha Tay Coach Joint Stock Company said, the bus was being driven by Nguyen Ha Thanh, and had been in operation since 2007.

“An electrical problem may have been the cause for the fire. We are cooperating with district police in their investigation,” he added.

On December 18, a Mercedes also suddenly caught fire on Nguyen Xien Street in Hanoi.

The four people escaped the vehicle when they saw smoke coming from the hood of the car. Fifteen minutes later it was engulfed in flames, leaving only the metal frame. 

The owner, Ngo Van Linh, said that the car was originally registered in 2001, and that he bought it in 2006. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Recently, a number of motorbikes in Hanoi and other areas have caught fire for no apparent cause, causing worry among consumers, including SH, Air Blade, Lead and Super Dream of Honda and Attila Elizabeth of SYM.

According to the Hanoi Fire Prevention Department, between December 1, 2010, and November 30 this year, there were 40 incidents of vehicle fires in Hanoi, including 11 motorbikes. In seven of these cases, motorbike owners simply left the site, leaving people and fire department to deal with the situation.

To date, only Honda has given comment on the issue. They said that, despite adding additional safety checks, they have yet to detect any technical problems in the manufacturing process.

Mercedes on fire

SH on fire

Air Blade on fire