Victims recall three seconds of disastrous Hanoi car crash

Thang, 34, was one of 22 victims of a traffic accident at the Xuan La-Vo Chi Cong intersection in Tay Ho Wednesday afternoon, when a car rammed into several motorbikes.

Nguyen Duc Thang, a victim of a car crash in Hanoi's Tay Ho District, at the E Hospital, April 5, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Viet An

Thang, who was admitted to the E Hospital with a broken leg, said he was leaving a motorbike repair shop on Xuan La Street to go home to Xuan Dinh at around 4 p.m. It was only a kilometer-long trip, but there were many vehicles so he could not travel fast.

As he was waiting at a red light at the Xuan La-Vo Chi Cong intersection, a black car coming from the direction of Vo Chi Cong Street rammed into the row of motorbikes in front of Thang.

"Multiple motorbikes fell down, and 2-3 of them were stacked on top of each other. I myself also passed out," he said.

When he came to, Thang was already lying on the road, unable to move a muscle. His legs were pinned down by fallen motorbikes, and chaos surrounded him. Dozens of other people were screaming and crying, some were motionless.

Thang's motorbike was 5 meters away from him, stuck in a bundle of other bikes. He tried to stay calm before calling his wife.

His wife came 10 minutes later, and with the help of medical personnel, rushed him to a hospital.

"If I had gone just two seconds earlier, I would have been blasted away by the car and my condition might have been much worse."

Do Hai Linh, 27, was also brought to the E Hospital with bruised arms that had to be kept in place by wooden planks. She said the accident happened quickly and that she passed out before realizing what had happened. When she came to, she was lying motionless on the road.

Do Hai Lai sits in a wheel chair with arm injuries after a Hanoi car crash, April 5, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Viet An

A car's cam footage revealed that at 4:07 p.m., at the Xuan La-Vo Chi Cong intersection, the traffic lights were red, meaning vehicles on Vo Chi Cong Street must stop to make way for vehicles on Xuan La Street. However, the car on Vo Chi Cong Street rushed through the red light, ramming into multiple motorbikes before turning left on Xuan La Street. The car stopped at the corner of Xuan La, heavily damaged.

Nguyen Chien Thang, a security guard at a restaurant near the intersection, said: "Everything happened within just three seconds"

"The car rushed through like an arrow, leaving people unable to react. A woman was knocked into the air, landing several meters away," he said.

 

 

Victims recall three seconds of disastrous Hanoi car crash

Ba giây kinh hoàng vụ xe ôtô đâm 17 xe máy

The road showed no tire tracks, only trails of blood and scratches on the motorbikes which were pressed against the concrete. Around 20 motorbikes are seen scattered on the street, all heavily damaged. Some motorbike fragments were blasted as far as 200 meters.

The driver of the car, 63-year-old Hoang Ngoc Vinh, left the vehicle crying in panic. He said he just drove his wife to the Hanoi Heart Hospital. He tested negative for drugs and alcohol.

Twenty-two victims were sent to Heart Hospital, just 50 meters from the scene. Two children, aged 3 and 9, were taken to the National Children’s Hospital. And 14 others were taken to the E Hospital. Four others were taken to the main branch of the Heart Hospital.

Three patients were considered severely injured as of Wednesday night: a 3-year-old child, a 28-year-old man and a 37-year-old man.

Vinh has since been detained by police of Tay Ho District for investigation.