CHENGDU, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Bus driver Zhao Jianguo was driving 37 people on a rainy day when a large boulder rolled down a hill and killed him.

Although 44 years old Zhao died, his experience and appropriate reaction prevented the bus from falling off a cliff into the river, passengers and police said.

During the morning of June 30, the 10 days of heavy rains in Sichuan province had created dangerous driving conditions. Zhao and fellow driver Chen Yong were driving a tour group from the Lugu Lake back to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, a distance of 730 kilometers.

"There was a long skid mark after Zhao hit the brake, over 10 meters," said Xiao Yu, a Shimian County police officer who investigated the accident.

The boulder, 1.6 meters in diameter, pinned the bus against the guardrails, severely bending them, Xiao said.

"If our driver had not hit the brake so hard, we would have gone right over the rails and fallen into the Daduhe River. He is a hero to all of us," said Li Xiongjun, a passenger.

Six people sustained slight injuries and have returned home after treatment.

Co-driver Chen Yong said both he and Zhao have over 20 years of experience driving buses. "It was raining heavily that day and we delayed our departure for about half an hour," said Chen, who took turns driving the vehicle with Zhao.

"We did not see the boulder coming. If it were a dangerous road section, usually there would be fallen stones on the road, but neither of us saw any that day," he said.

"When the stone fell, I felt everything go dark and then the bus stopped and shook violently. Zhao was still holding the steering wheel and the stone was on top of him," said Chen.

Doctors were not successful in trying to resuscitate Zhao.

"Had he not hit the brakes or delayed hitting them, things could have been worse. He saved us all," Chen said.

Colleagues said Zhao was a warm-hearted person. "Every time he returned from a trip, he cleaned the bus inside and out, a very responsible fellow," said a colleague surnamed Dai.

Friends, colleagues and Zhao's employer donated over 170,000 yuan (about 26,000 U.S. dollars) to his family. Zhao has no child, and his wife works short-term jobs.

"We are applying for an official honor for Zhao. He deserves it," said Wang Zongyong, vice manager of Ganzi Yake Transportation Company, the employer.