Hacienda Heights bus fire kills 89-year-old woman

An 89-year-old woman, identified by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner as Marina Diaz de Pacheco, died after a tour bus caught fire on the eastbound Pomona (60) Freeway in Hacienda Heights on Friday morning.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the Mercedes-Benz bus was traveling east near Hacienda Boulevard when it experienced mechanical problems. The driver pulled onto the right shoulder, where smoke began emanating from the rear engine compartment. While the driver and passengers evacuated, the fire spread rapidly. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, one passenger was found deceased inside the vehicle. Another individual was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

Investigators found a large amount of luggage and several propane tanks inside and near the bus. The vehicle, which appeared to be operated by the company Viajes Azteca, was severely burned. The incident caused significant traffic delays as multiple lanes of the freeway were closed for several hours during the investigation.