Five women are dead after a stretch limousine caught fire and burned on a bridge spanning the San Francisco Bay in California.  Four more women and the driver survived the fire.

It happened Saturday night on the San Mateo Bridge, just south of San Francisco.  Police say smoke started coming out of the back of the customized 1999 Lincoln Town Car, and the driver pulled over.  But the flames quickly engulfed the cabin.

The four women who escaped were taken to area hospitals where they were being treated for smoke inhalation and burns.  They were in the 30s and 40s and police say they were on their way to a bridal shower. 

All westbound lanes of the bridge were closed for several hours, creating a traffic problem on the East Bay side of the bridge.

California regulators say the company “Limo Stop” was properly licensed and insured.  Owner Kultar Singh said Sunday he is “very, very saddened” by the Fire, but declined to comment further about what happened.