Eight Dead in Tour Bus Crash Near Los Angeles

By Jason Kandel, Jacob Rascon and Janet Kwak. NBC Los Angeles

Credit: NBC Los Angeles

Several people were killed and dozens more injured on Sunday when a tour bus collided with a truck and a second vehicle on a mountain road east of Los Angeles.

February 4, 2013 Updated Feb 4, 2013 at 9:38 AM PDT

Eight people were killed and 38 people were injured on Sunday when a tour bus that apparently had brake problems collided with a truck and a second vehicle on a mountain road 80 miles east of Los Angeles.

Firefighters from multiple agencies responded to Highway 38 near Bryant Street in Mentone about 6:30 p.m. The road is used to travel to and from the mountain resort of Big Bear.

Passengers told NBC4 that they were coming down the mountain from a day of skiing and snowboarding in Big Bear when the driver said something to the effect that the brakes were out.

The passengers heard noises they thought were brakes and smelled something burning and then watched in horror as the bus weaved in and out of traffic for up to three minutes, trying to avoid cars.

The bus hit a car, then flipped.

Some riders blacked out only to awaken up to 20 feet away from the bus. They said the driver was stuck under a rock, but he survived.

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