Passenger bus in southwestern China catches fire, killing 5 people and injuring 32

BEIJING – Authorities in southwestern China say a bus has caught fire on a city street, killing five people and injuring 32.

Guiyang city officials say the bus started to burn shortly after noon Thursday, but that the cause is not clear and under investigation. Local police and fire officials say the fire has been extinguished, but could not offer more details about it when reached over the phone.

Media reports say the bus was carrying about 50 passengers.

Last year, a man set fire to a commuter bus in the southeastern port city of Xiamen, killing himself and 46 others. A deadly bus fire in 2009 killed 27 in the central city of Chengdu.