A bus fire that killed six people in western Switzerland was started by a Swiss man who set himself alight, according to investigators. The public prosecutor for Fribourg canton, Raphael Bourquin, said a witness reported seeing a man in his 60s douse himself with a flammable substance and ignite it on the bus in Kerzers on Tuesday evening.
Bourquin described the man, who was from the Berne area and had been reported missing, as a 'marginalised and disturbed individual'. He said there was no evidence of a terrorist act, and the man is believed to be among the deceased. Five people were injured in the blaze, with two in serious condition.
The bus, operated by PostBus, was a diesel vehicle, ruling out an electric motor as the cause. The victims were aged between 17 and 65. Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed condolences, noting the tragedy followed a deadly fire in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve that killed 41 people.
Witnesses described scenes of panic, with one saying, 'Everything happened so quickly – and then within moments everything was in flames.' Another saw a person running from the bus on fire. The bus was removed overnight, and investigations continue.
