Five dead, 35 injured in China bus fire

At least five people were killed and 35 injured when a fire broke out in a bus with about 50 people on board Thursday in China's Guizhou province, authorities said.

The incident occurred around 12.30 p.m. when the bus was passing by a primary school in the northern part of Guiyang, Xinhua quoted the city's publicity department as saying. The injured were rushed to four hospitals.

According to Yang Li, a passenger, the fire spread so quickly that many people failed to notice hammers in the bus for smashing windows in emergencies.

"The driver only managed to open the front door, so everyone just stormed toward it in the choking smoke," Yan said.

Witnesses said at least 50 passengers were on board the ill-fated bus.