A casino bus burst into flames next to a freeway Sunday morning not long after dozens of passengers got off the vehicle, authorities said.
The River Rock Casino bus was headed south of U.S. 101 about 4:15 a.m. when the driver, Cora Lee Cooper, 61, noticed the vehicle was losing power, the California Highway Patrol said.
After pulling over, Cooper walked outside and saw flames shooting out from under the bus. She told the 53 passengers to stand about 100 yards away while they waited for fire crews. No one was hurt.
The bus was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived, CHP officials said. The freeway was partially closed for about an hour, and the passengers were picked up by another bus contracted by the River Rock Casino in Geyserville.
