Kerzers, Switzerland. At least six people died and three others were injured when a bus caught fire in the western Swiss town of Kerzers, police said. Investigators are examining reports that the blaze may have been deliberately started by a person onboard.
Incident and emergency response
Police said the bus became engulfed in flames on a road in Kerzers, in the canton of Fribourg, about 20 km (12 miles) from the Swiss capital Bern. Passengers were seen escaping from the burning bus on Tuesday evening, according to Fribourg police spokesperson Frederic Papaux, who said no other vehicle was involved.
Three injured people were taken to hospital, police said. Two other people also received attention but did not need to be hospitalised.
Investigation into possible deliberate act
“At this stage, we have elements suggesting a deliberate act by a person who was inside the bus,” Papaux said. Christa Bielmann, another local police spokesperson, said investigators were looking into reports that a person had poured fuel on themselves, adding it was too early to say whether the incident was terror-related.
“We have no indication that suggests we might be dealing with a terrorist attack,” Swiss politician Romain Collaud, a state councillor, told Swiss-French broadcaster RTS on Wednesday morning, adding that investigations are ongoing.
Witness accounts and aftermath
Swiss media outlet 20 Minutes said it had seen a video taken at the scene in which an injured person said: “A man set himself on fire. He poured gasoline over himself and then lit himself.”
Video taken after the flames were extinguished showed the charred remains of the vehicle, described as a yellow Postauto.
Official reaction
Swiss President Guy Parmelin offered his condolences and said the incident was being investigated.
What questions do you have about the ongoing investigation into the cause of the Kerzers bus fire?