TRAGEDY: Five Nurses Die in Limousine Fire | San Mateo Bridge, California 2013
Obscura: A True Crime Podcast9 Okt

TRAGEDY: Five Nurses Die in Limousine Fire | San Mateo Bridge, California 2013

On May 4, 2013, nine nurses celebrating a bachelorette party crossed the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge in a white stretch limousine. At around 10:05 PM, thick black smoke began rising from the floor. Within minutes, the rear compartment was engulfed in flames. Four women and the driver escaped. Five women—including bride-to-be Neriza Fojas—remained trapped inside.

This episode features real 911 calls from witnesses and survivors, testimony describing desperate escape attempts through an 18-inch-high partition window, and the complete investigation findings. California Highway Patrol investigators concluded the fire resulted from catastrophic suspension failure, not the airbag rupture initially reported by media.

Listen on Obscura wherever you get podcasts. For extended content and ad-free episodes, join us on Patreon.

Content Warning: This episode contains graphic 911 audio, survivor testimony describing entrapment, and discussions of burn injuries.

THE CASE

On the evening of May 4, 2013, Neriza Fojas—a 31-year-old nurse from Monterey, California—celebrated her recent wedding with eight close friends. All nine women worked together as nurses at healthcare facilities in the Bay Area. They had rented a white stretch limousine from Limo Stop, a San Jose company, to transport them to a wedding celebration at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City.

At around 10:05 PM, the 1999 Lincoln Town Car limousine began crossing the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge westbound toward the peninsula. Driver Orville "Ricky" Brown, 46, piloted the vehicle while the women celebrated in the rear passenger compartment behind a raised privacy partition.

THE FIRE

At around 10:05 PM, one of the passengers knocked on the partition and said "smoke." Brown initially believed she was asking permission to smoke a cigarette and told her to wait a few minutes. Then he felt bumps beneath the vehicle. Thick, black, acrid smoke began rising from the floor of the passenger compartment. Within seconds, the rear of the limousine was engulfed in flames.

Brown pulled onto the right shoulder near the bridge's high rise section. Emergency calls flooded 911 dispatch. "We need help on the San Mateo Bridge," a woman screamed. "Oh my God, oh my God. I cannot open the door."

Four women managed to escape through the narrow partition window separating the driver's compartment from the passenger area—a space measuring approximately 18 inches high by 3 feet wide. Survivors described pulling each other through the opening, with some becoming stuck at the hips. Amalia Loyola was the last to escape, suffering severe burns to her ankles as flames consumed the rear compartment.

Five women remained trapped: Neriza Fojas (31), Michelle Estrera (35), Jennifer Balon (39), Anna Alcantara (46), and Felomina Geronga (43). All five died from smoke inhalation. When firefighters extinguished the blaze, they found the victims near the partition window—their final desperate attempt to reach safety.

THE INVESTIGATION

California Highway Patrol investigators and the Foster City Fire Department conducted an exhaustive examination of the vehicle, maintenance records, and witness testimony. Their conclusion: the fire was accidental.

The catastrophic failure of the limousine's rear suspension system allowed the rapidly spinning driveshaft to make contact with the floor pan. The friction created sparks and intense heat, igniting the vehicle's interior. Contrary to initial media reports, investigators found no evidence of ruptured air suspension bags or the vehicle's undercarriage scraping the roadway.

Additional factors contributed to the tragedy: the limousine was overloaded with nine passengers despite being rated for seven, and the raised privacy partition prevented effective communication about the emergency. Driver Brown was cleared of wrongdoing after cell phone records confirmed he was not on his phone during the incident.

Four survivors and the families of the five deceased women filed wrongful death lawsuits against Ford Motor Company, Limo Stop, and Accubuilt (the company that converted the vehicle). Most cases settled out of court. A jury later found Ford not liable, determining that Limo Stop's chronic overloading and misuse of the vehicle—routinely carrying more passengers than it was designed to hold—caused the suspension system failure.

THIS EPISODE

This Obscura investigation features real 911 calls from the night of the fire, survivor testimony from subsequent legal proceedings, and official investigation findings from California Highway Patrol. The episode examines how a joyful celebration became a preventable tragedy through mechanical failure and regulatory gaps in the limousine industry.

RESOURCES

National Burn Victim Foundation: www.nbvf.org

California Highway Patrol Vehicle Safety: www.chp.ca.gov



Our Sponsors:
* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA
* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com
* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com
* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Avsnitt(211)

138: Michael King - In Broad Daylight - Part 01

138: Michael King - In Broad Daylight - Part 01

Robert Salvador and Michael King head to target practice at a local firing range. Upon arriving at the range, King removes a nine-millimeter handgun from under the passenger seat of his Camaro. Salvador and King stay at the range for approximately one hour.When King and Salvador part ways for the day, Salvador has a feeling in his gut. Something is wrong with the Michael King. Something felt off. Over the course of the next eight to nine hours Michael King would prove how horribly correct Salvador’s instincts were.Join Black Label for additional darker episodes at Patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcastOur Sponsors:* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

4 Dec 202429min

137: The Perfect Crime - The Murder of Bobby Franks - Part 04

137: The Perfect Crime - The Murder of Bobby Franks - Part 04

Listener, I have a special multi-part series in store for you. For this episode we cover the players. Those involved. It’s an older story. With its murder taking place in 1924. At the time it was called The Crime of the Century, with a trial the likes the world had never seen. A full-blown media spectacle. And the victim caught up in a senseless scheme.Join me on the Black Label Community on Patreon at Patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcastOur Sponsors:* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

27 Nov 202436min

136: The Perfect Crime - The Murder of Bobby Franks - Part 03

136: The Perfect Crime - The Murder of Bobby Franks - Part 03

Listener, I have a special multi-part series in store for you. For this episode we cover the players. Those involved. It’s an older story. With its murder taking place in 1924. At the time it was called The Crime of the Century, with a trial the likes the world had never seen. A full-blown media spectacle. And the victim caught up in a senseless scheme.Our Sponsors:* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

20 Nov 202431min

135: The Perfect Crime - The Murder of Bobby Franks - Part 02

135: The Perfect Crime - The Murder of Bobby Franks - Part 02

Listener, I have a special multi-part series in store for you. For this episode we cover the players. Those involved. It’s an older story. With its murder taking place in 1924. At the time it was called The Crime of the Century, with a trial the likes the world had never seen. A full-blown media spectacle. And the victim caught up in a senseless scheme.Join Black Label at Patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcastOur Sponsors:* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

13 Nov 202431min

134: The Perfect Crime - The Murder of Bobby Franks - Part 01

134: The Perfect Crime - The Murder of Bobby Franks - Part 01

Listener, I have a special multi-part series in store for you. For this episode, we cover the players. Those involved. It’s an older story with its murder taking place in 1924. At the time, it was called. Century and the Crime of the world had never seen—a full-blown media spectacle. And the victim caught up in a senseless scheme.Join Black Label for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcastOur Sponsors:* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

7 Nov 202430min

134: The Mischief Night Murder - Martha Moxley

134: The Mischief Night Murder - Martha Moxley

In Martha Moxley's Greenwich, Connecticut neighborhood, they called the night before Halloween Mischief Night. It would be that night in 1975 that 15-year-old Martha Moxley would take her final breath and with it would begin a 43-year-long battle to bring her killer to justice.Access exclusive Black Label content here.Visit me online here. Grab our unique coffee mug here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

30 Okt 202444min

133: Death in a Sanctuary of Silence - Part 02

133: Death in a Sanctuary of Silence - Part 02

Ben Varner’s whole world changed the moment he found out that his close friend Eric was murdered. Gallaudet represented a sort of sanctuary from the prejudice he faced growing up. But now the illusion was shattered. All those awful things that existed on the outside existed in Gallaudet as well.Join Black Label for premium episodes at Patreon.com/ObscuraCrimePodcastOur Sponsors:* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

23 Okt 202427min

132: Death in a Sanctuary of Silence - Part 01

132: Death in a Sanctuary of Silence - Part 01

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” - Helen Keller“Join Unmasked at Patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcastOur Sponsors:* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

16 Okt 202427min

Populärt inom Politik & nyheter

aftonbladet-krim
p3-krim
fordomspodden
motiv
rss-krimstad
rss-viva-fotboll
flashback-forever
aftonbladet-daily
svenska-fall
rss-vad-fan-hande
rss-krimreportrarna
rss-sanning-konsekvens
dagens-eko
olyckan-inifran
rss-frandfors-horna
rss-svalan-krim
krimmagasinet
blenda-2
rss-klubbland-en-podd-mest-om-frolunda
rss-flodet