BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Thirty-four people on a passenger bus were able to evacuate the vehicle before it burst into flames.
At about 2 p.m. Saturday, the bus was traveling north on Highway 99 just south of Whistler Road, when the bus engine compartment caught fire.
The bus driver pulled over and attempted to extinguish the fire with the onboard fire extinguisher, officials said.
Kern County Fire Department officials said the driver was unsuccessful in extinguishing the fire, but was able to safely unload all passengers and their luggage before the fire consumed the bus.
Although safe, the passengers were stranded between the freeway and an active railway in temperatures nearing 100 degrees, officials said.
As crews were extinguishing the bus fire, the KCFD incident Rehabilitation Vehicle was sent to provide shade and drinks for the passengers.
The bus company, based in Los Angeles, could not provide a replacement bus to pick up the passengers for at least 3 hours, fire officials said.
The KCFD training bus was sent and took the passengers and their luggage from the incident to the City of Delano, where they had access to food, shelter and restroom facilities.
There were no injuries to firefighters or the passengers.
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