Pinay, 4 others killed in California limo fire — report
(Updated 12:29 a.m., 7 May 2013) A Filipina who was on her way to her bridal shower perished over the weekend after a limousine she was riding to the event caught fire at the San Mateo Bridge in San Francisco, California.
Four other women died along with Neriza Fojas, who was recently married but had been planning to return to the Philippines for another wedding ceremony in June, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
"We don't know what caused the accident yet. It wasn't a traffic collision, we do know that, but we are still investigating," the report quoted California Highway Patrol Officer James Evans as saying.
A report on GMA News TV's “Balitanghali” Monday noon said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is still confirming with the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco if a Filipino was indeed among the victims.
Bridal shower
The California Highway Patrol said the five died on the spot.
Fojas' sister Rosalyn Bersamin was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle report as saying that the victims were on their way to a bridal shower at a hotel in Foster City.
Bersamin said Fojas, a registered nurse at the Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, was recently married in the US and was planning to travel with her husband to the Philippines for another wedding ceremony on June 19.
"She was a hard worker, a loving sister," Bersamin told the San Francisco Chronicle.
While the five were trapped inside the vehicle—a 1999 Lincoln Town Car—the driver and four other women in the car managed to escape.
The report said the stretch limo was going west on the bridge at about 10 p.m. Saturday when smoke came out of the rear passenger area.
Although driver Orville Brown stopped the car and got out along with four passengers in the front, the fire spread quickly and charred the rear of the car.
Mystery fire
Brown, 46, was unhurt, but the four women who survived the blaze were hospitalized for burns and smoke inhalation.
Relatives were quoted in the report as saying Brown did not know how the fire started, and was alerted when one of the women reported smelling smoke. He reportedly helped some of the survivors to safety.
Meanwhile, the San Mateo County coroner's office is not immediately releasing the names of the four other fatalities.
Among those hospitalized were Grace Guardiano; Nelia Arrellano, 36, who moved to the Bay Area from the Philippines; Jasmine Desguia, 34; and Amalia Loyola, 48.
On the other hand, Kultar Singh, the owner of Limo Stop Inc., which owns the burned limo, said he was "very saddened" by the accident, but declined further comment.
Ominous calls
Meanwhile, in a report aired on GMA 7's "24 Oras", Neriza's parents, Carlito and Sonia who live in Camiling in Tarlac, related how they received a series of ominous but confused phone calls that hinted at the tragedy that befell their daughter Neriza.
Carlito then tried to call their other daughter, Rosalyn who lives in Hawaii. Rosalyn, however, was too distraught to come to the phone.
They finally learned of Neriza's death through the news media.
“Anong nangyari sa anak ko,” asked a tearful Carlito during an internet call with his son-in-law, Carlo Moya.
'Masakit! Masakit talaga ang nangyari! Na bigla kami,” cried Neriza's mother, Sonia. — DVM/KBK, GMA News
Four other women died along with Neriza Fojas, who was recently married but had been planning to return to the Philippines for another wedding ceremony in June, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
"We don't know what caused the accident yet. It wasn't a traffic collision, we do know that, but we are still investigating," the report quoted California Highway Patrol Officer James Evans as saying.
A report on GMA News TV's “Balitanghali” Monday noon said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is still confirming with the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco if a Filipino was indeed among the victims.
Bridal shower
The California Highway Patrol said the five died on the spot.
Fojas' sister Rosalyn Bersamin was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle report as saying that the victims were on their way to a bridal shower at a hotel in Foster City.
Bersamin said Fojas, a registered nurse at the Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, was recently married in the US and was planning to travel with her husband to the Philippines for another wedding ceremony on June 19.
"She was a hard worker, a loving sister," Bersamin told the San Francisco Chronicle.
While the five were trapped inside the vehicle—a 1999 Lincoln Town Car—the driver and four other women in the car managed to escape.
The report said the stretch limo was going west on the bridge at about 10 p.m. Saturday when smoke came out of the rear passenger area.
Although driver Orville Brown stopped the car and got out along with four passengers in the front, the fire spread quickly and charred the rear of the car.
Mystery fire
Brown, 46, was unhurt, but the four women who survived the blaze were hospitalized for burns and smoke inhalation.
Relatives were quoted in the report as saying Brown did not know how the fire started, and was alerted when one of the women reported smelling smoke. He reportedly helped some of the survivors to safety.
Meanwhile, the San Mateo County coroner's office is not immediately releasing the names of the four other fatalities.
Among those hospitalized were Grace Guardiano; Nelia Arrellano, 36, who moved to the Bay Area from the Philippines; Jasmine Desguia, 34; and Amalia Loyola, 48.
On the other hand, Kultar Singh, the owner of Limo Stop Inc., which owns the burned limo, said he was "very saddened" by the accident, but declined further comment.
Ominous calls
Meanwhile, in a report aired on GMA 7's "24 Oras", Neriza's parents, Carlito and Sonia who live in Camiling in Tarlac, related how they received a series of ominous but confused phone calls that hinted at the tragedy that befell their daughter Neriza.
Carlito then tried to call their other daughter, Rosalyn who lives in Hawaii. Rosalyn, however, was too distraught to come to the phone.
They finally learned of Neriza's death through the news media.
“Anong nangyari sa anak ko,” asked a tearful Carlito during an internet call with his son-in-law, Carlo Moya.
'Masakit! Masakit talaga ang nangyari! Na bigla kami,” cried Neriza's mother, Sonia. — DVM/KBK, GMA News
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