Five female passengers including bride-to-be Neriza Fojas dead after limousine bursts into flames on San Francisco highway

A limousine traveling on a major bridge in the San Francisco area burst into flames, killing five female passengers who were trapped inside and injuring four others who escaped, authorities said today.

The limo was carrying nine female passengers and a male driver when it caught fire late Saturday on the San Mateo bridge, Califoia Highway Patrol officer Art Montiel said.

Five occupants became trapped, while four others suffered injuries but managed to get out after the vehicle came to a stop on the bridge, the patrol said. The driver escaped uninjured.

Neriza Fojas

Friends: Jasmine Desguia, 34, left, and Mary G. Guardiano, 42, right, are two of the survivors from the limo fire

San Mateo County firefighters and Califoia Highway Patrol personnel investigate the scene of a limousine fire on the westbound side of the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge in Foster City, Califoia

Five women were killed late on Saturday night when their limousine caught on fire. Four other women and the driver were able to escape

Califoia Highway Patrolmen light flares as they investigate the scene of the limousine fire

Montiel said that the victims were all in their 30s. Authorities said the names of the dead would be released once families have been notified.

The injured are: Mary G. Guardiano, 42, of Alameda, Nelia Arrellano, 36, of Oakland, Amalia Loyola, 48, of San Leandro, and Jasmine Desguia, 34, of San Jose.

The driver of the vehicle, Orville Brown, 46, of San Jose, Califoia, escaped uninjured.

The blaze occurred around 10pm on westbound lanes of the bridge, which connects San Mateo and Alameda counties, about 20 miles southeast of San Francisco.

The patrol said that smoke started coming out of the rear of the limo, and the driver pulled over as the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames.

Officers were trying to determine the cause of the blaze, which wasn't the result of an accident.

The limo was going from Alameda to Foster City when the ten occupants, all in their 30s, noticed smoke and pulled over

The blaze occurred around 10pm on westbound lanes of the bridge, which connects San Mateo and Alemada counties, about 20 miles southeast of San Francisco

'We have no idea right now where they were going or where they were coming from,' CHP officer Amelia Jack told KGO-TV.

Two of the women who escaped were taken to Stanford Hospital and the two others were taken to Valley Medical Center in San Jose. All four are being treated for smoke inhalation and bus.

The westbound lanes of the bridge were closed as officers investigated the cause of the deadly fire, but the patrol said one lane of traffic reopened early Sunday.