Six dead after bus fire in western Switzerland

At least six people were killed and three others injured after a bus caught fire in western Switzerland on Tuesday in what police say may have been a deliberate act.

The incident occurred in the town of Kerzers, in the canton of Fribourg, about 20 kilometers from the Swiss capital, Bern. Authorities said the bus was quickly engulfed in flames while traveling on a local road, News.az reports, citing Reuters.

Police said early evidence suggests the blaze may have started after a person on board intentionally set themselves on fire, though investigators are still working to confirm the circumstances.

“At this stage, we have elements suggesting a deliberate act by a person who was inside the bus,” said Fribourg police spokesperson Frederic Papaux.

Another police spokesperson, Christa Bielmann, said investigators were examining reports that the individual poured fuel on themselves before igniting it. She added that it is still too early to determine whether the incident is linked to terrorism.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene as passengers tried to escape the burning vehicle. Three injured people were taken to hospital, while two others received treatment at the scene.

Images taken after firefighters extinguished the flames showed the severely burned remains of the yellow Postauto bus, a common public transport vehicle in Switzerland.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed condolences to the victims’ families, saying the tragedy had shocked the country and that a full investigation was underway.

The incident comes just weeks after another major fire in Switzerland. In January, a blaze at a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana killed 41 people and injured more than 100.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada