The scenes of the accident. — Photo courtesy of the Cao Bằng Police

CAO BẰNG — Three people died in an accident at around 4.30pm on Friday at Km76+350 on National Highway 4A, in Nà Danh Hamlet, Thạch An Commune, Cao Bằng Province.

A tractor-trailer bearing licence plate 29F-046.91, towing trailer 29R-531.09 and driven by Nguyễn Khánh Tùng, 46, from Quốc Oai Commune, Hà Nội, was carrying Phan Tuấn Ngọc, 45, from Hà Đông, Hà Nội, while travelling from Phục Hòa Commune towards Thạch An Commune.

Upon reaching the aforementioned road section, the vehicle suddenly lost control and overturned.

All cargo on the truck crushed the house of Nông Thanh Tám, 58, residing in Thạch An Commune.

As a result, the accident killed three people at the scene, including Tám and the two occupants of the tractor-trailer.

Immediately after receiving the report, the commune authorities, in coordination with the commune police, relevant functional forces and local residents, swiftly cordoned off and secured the scenes.

They deployed specialised machinery to carry out rescue operations, divert traffic and assess damage to affected households.

By approximately 8.50pm the same day, the victims’ bodies had been removed from the scene.

Hoàng Văn Thạch, deputy chairman of the Cao Bằng Provincial People’s Committee, on Friday evening went directly to the scene to direct rescue and relief operations and oversee aftermath mitigation for the serious traffic accident.

Thạch instructed functional forces to promptly implement measures to ensure safety for residents and vehicles passing through the area; at the same time, he tasked the police with expediting scene examination and evidence collection to clarify the cause of the accident.

The incident is currently under investigation and will be handled by the competent authorities in accordance with legal regulations. — VNS