A bus fire that killed six people in western Switzerland was started by a 'marginalised and disturbed' Swiss man who set himself ablaze, according to prosecutors. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening in Kerzers, a town of about 5,000 people in the canton of Fribourg.
Fribourg canton public prosecutor Raphael Bourquin told a news conference that a witness reported seeing a man of Swiss origin board the bus carrying bags, douse himself with a flammable substance, and set himself alight. The man, in his 60s and from the Berne area, had been reported missing by his family. Bourquin said there was no evidence of a terrorist act and that the man appeared to be among the deceased.
Five people were also injured in the blaze, with two in serious condition and one able to return home overnight. The victims were aged between 17 and 65. The bus, operated by PostBus, was a combustion engine vehicle, ruling out an electric motor fire. Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed condolences, noting the tragedy followed a devastating fire in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve that killed 41.
Witnesses described scenes of panic, with flames shooting from windows and tyres exploding. Bystanders attempted to break windows to free passengers. Emergency services worked late into the night, and the charred remains of the bus were removed. Police have taken DNA samples from families of the missing, with results expected within 48 hours.
