Tour bus overturns on Southern California freeway

LOS ANGELES – A tour bus carrying gamblers to an Indian casino overturned along a freeway outside of Los Angeles on Thursday, injuring more than 50 people on board, authorities said.

The bus went through a chain-link fence off the side of the highway and ended up on its side down a dirt embankment between the freeway and railroad tracks in Irwindale.

Initial findings were that the bus hit another vehicle, though the exact chain of events was still under investigation, California Highway Patrol Officer Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh said.

Ambulances and helicopters converged on the freeway about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles and firefighters laid out red, yellow and green tarps to evaluate the injured.

Fifty-two people, mostly elderly, were hurt in the rollover with minor injuries, according to doctors and fire officials.

Eight needed immediate medical attention including five who were flown by helicopter to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. The patients, who suffered blunt force trauma, were in guarded condition, said Dr. Leo Rodriguez.

Many of the victims “spoke no English or very limited English” and required translators who spoke Mandarin or Cantonese, the CHP’s Van Valkenburgh said.

The freeway — Interstate 210 — is a commonly used foothill route to inland valleys and the desert east of Los Angeles. “Gamblers’ specials” many catering to older people, frequently use it to bus tourists between the San Gabriel Valley and casinos in California and Las Vegas.

The bus was operated by Da Zhen Travel Agency in the Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park.

It was heading to the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland, said Anna Zhang, an agency employee.

Da Zhen received a “satisfactory” rating during its last major review by federal inspectors, in 2010, according to U.S. Department of Transportation records.