TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After a drunk driver crashed and stopped in the slow lane on National Freeway 1 in Miaoli County early on Sunday morning (Jan. 22), five other vehicles, including a United Highway bus carrying 21 passengers, became involved in a pileup.

The accident, which occurred at around 4 a.m., resulted in two deaths and nine injuries, SETNews reported. Due to the severity, the police closed off all but the fast lane to traffic at one point, reducing the speed of vehicles passing the area to just 20 kilometers per hour.

At the time of the incident, a car reportedly crashed in the slow lane and stopped perpendicular to the direction of the traffic. Another car and a United Highway bus then crashed, and the bus pushed the second car to the shoulder where it got stuck.

The front end of the bus was damaged due to the impact, while the car burst into flames, which eventually spread to the front of the bus. According to UDN, the bus driver and the car’s passenger died in the fire.

The driver of the second car, surnamed Tsai (蔡), said he had braked in time and originally did not hit the first vehicle. However, just as he was backing up, his friend in the passenger seat shouted to warn him that there was an oncoming bus.

Though Tsai was able to escape in time, his friend did not make it.

Passengers on the bus were evacuated after the accident and transported to the airport by United Highway Bus Co.

An investigation conducted by the police revealed that the female driver in her 40s of the first car that crashed had been drunk driving. She was arrested and faces charges.

UDN reported that the scene was not cleared and reopened until 8:21 a.m.