Six people have died and three others were injured after a bus caught fire in the small Swiss town of Kerzers, authorities said Wednesday. Investigators believe the blaze was started by a man on board who set fire to himself.
The incident occurred Tuesday evening on a road near the centre of Kerzers, a town of roughly 5,000 residents in the western canton of Fribourg, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Bern, the Swiss capital.
Police said the suspect, a Swiss man in his 60s who had been reported missing by his family, boarded the bus with bags, doused himself in flammable material, and ignited the fire.
Officials emphasized that there is no evidence suggesting the man intended to carry out a terrorist attack, describing him as “disturbed” and likely among the deceased.
Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and social media activity, while further searches and interviews are ongoing to better understand his motives.
Three of the injured were taken to hospital for treatment. Passengers were seen fleeing the burning bus, some panicked and wounded, as flames engulfed the vehicle. Videos released after the fire was extinguished showed the charred remains of the yellow bus.
Eyewitness Zeynel Teke, 61, who runs a food stall opposite the road, recounted the terrifying scene. “Two or three people came out of the vehicle, and I ran to help, putting out flames on one woman with my hands. I tried to grab my fire extinguisher, but the fire was too intense,” he said. “It’s so sad to see people burning in front of your eyes. It could be my child, it could be yours.”
Authorities continue to investigate the incident, working to piece together the events that led to the devastating blaze and to determine the full scope of its impact on the community.
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