A bus carrying 38 students and 6 teachers caught fire on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road in Pathum Thani Province, near Bangkok (Thailand) at noon on October 1, killing 22 students and 3 teachers; 16 other students and 3 teachers escaped.
Initial information said that at the time of the incident, the teachers were unable to open the bus doors and those inside suffered from smoke inhalation and burns.
Authorities are still investigating, but unfortunately the bus doors could not be opened, indicating that breaking the windows would be difficult, and whether the bus was equipped with an escape hammer remains unclear.
An escape hammer is an important safety device in a car, especially in emergency situations such as accidents, fires, rollovers, or flooded cars. Some types of escape hammers also have a built-in seat belt cutter. In situations where the seat belt cannot be removed or is stuck, this blade helps to quickly cut the belt to free the occupants, helping them escape safely.
In cases where the vehicle is at risk of fire after an accident, it is necessary to escape the vehicle quickly. The escape hammer allows passengers to break the window and escape even if the door locking system is broken, ensuring safety in emergency situations.
Many countries and regions have issued regulations requiring public transport vehicles and passenger cars to be equipped with emergency hammers to ensure passenger safety. Fully equipped with this tool not only helps protect human lives but also helps vehicle owners comply with traffic safety regulations.
In Vietnam, there are many regulations requiring business vehicles to have an escape hammer, specifically Circular No. 12/2020/TT-BGTVT regulating the organization and management of automobile transportation activities and road transport support services requires: The vehicle must be equipped with escape tools, fire extinguishers that are still usable and have an expiration date, and there must be a sign with instructions on how to use the fire extinguisher and escape hammer.
However, many units and car owners still do not take this tool seriously. In August 2024, the Hanoi Department of Transport Inspectorate increased the inspection and supervision of student transportation by car. The inspection process showed that most schools, car owners and drivers strictly followed the regulations on the use of contract cars to transport students. However, some vehicle owners, because they did not fully understand the provisions of the law, still committed violations such as: Fire extinguishers were not the right size, emergency hammers were not placed in the right place, and the serial numbers were placed in the wrong position...
An escape hammer is a simple tool, but it plays an extremely important role in protecting the lives of passengers. To ensure safety, every car should be equipped with at least one escape hammer and placed in a visible, accessible location for timely use in an emergency.
