Six people are dead after a bus burst into flames Tuesday evening in the Swiss town of Kerzers, with authorities investigating whether the blaze began when a man intentionally set himself on fire.
The fire broke out on a road in Kerzers, a town of roughly 5,000 residents in the western canton of Fribourg, about 20 kilometers from the Swiss capital of Bern. Police said the bus quickly became engulfed in flames as passengers tried to escape.
Three people were taken to the hospital with injuries, according to police. Two others who were caught up in the fire were treated at the scene but did not require hospitalization.
"At this stage, we have elements suggesting a deliberate act by a person who was inside the bus," said Frederic Papaux, a spokesperson for Fribourg police, according to NewsEU.
Authorities are examining reports that an individual may have poured fuel on himself before the fire started. Christa Bielmann, another police spokesperson, said investigators were reviewing those claims but cautioned it was too early to draw firm conclusions.
"We have no indication that suggests we might be dealing with a terrorist attack," Romain Collaud, a local politician in Fribourg, told the Swiss-French broadcaster Radio Television Suisse.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as smoke poured from the vehicle. Papaux said passengers were seen fleeing the burning bus, many of them panicked and injured.
Mina Gendre, who works at a nearby shop, said she noticed the bus stopped across the road with a small fire inside shortly before it erupted into flames. "It was so shocking," said Gendre. "I saw someone come running out of the bus on fire." She said bystanders rushed to help extinguish the flames on the person using a jacket while thick smoke filled the area.
Video taken after the blaze was extinguished showed the charred remains of the yellow bus.
Authorities said identifying the six victims may take several days. Collaud noted it remains unclear whether the individual suspected of starting the fire is among those who died.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin issued a statement expressing condolences and confirmed that an investigation is ongoing.
"It shocks and saddens me that once again people have lost their lives in a serious fire in Switzerland," he said on X.
Local residents began placing flowers near the scene, while a memorial is being set up in the village square, according to Swiss newspaper Tribune de Genève. Authorities said DNA testing may be needed to confirm the identities of some victims.
The fire broke out on a road in Kerzers, a town of roughly 5,000 residents in the western canton of Fribourg, about 20 kilometers from the Swiss capital of Bern. Police said the bus quickly became engulfed in flames as passengers tried to escape.
Three people were taken to the hospital with injuries, according to police. Two others who were caught up in the fire were treated at the scene but did not require hospitalization.
"At this stage, we have elements suggesting a deliberate act by a person who was inside the bus," said Frederic Papaux, a spokesperson for Fribourg police, according to NewsEU.
Authorities are examining reports that an individual may have poured fuel on himself before the fire started. Christa Bielmann, another police spokesperson, said investigators were reviewing those claims but cautioned it was too early to draw firm conclusions.
"We have no indication that suggests we might be dealing with a terrorist attack," Romain Collaud, a local politician in Fribourg, told the Swiss-French broadcaster Radio Television Suisse.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as smoke poured from the vehicle. Papaux said passengers were seen fleeing the burning bus, many of them panicked and injured.
Mina Gendre, who works at a nearby shop, said she noticed the bus stopped across the road with a small fire inside shortly before it erupted into flames. "It was so shocking," said Gendre. "I saw someone come running out of the bus on fire." She said bystanders rushed to help extinguish the flames on the person using a jacket while thick smoke filled the area.
Video taken after the blaze was extinguished showed the charred remains of the yellow bus.
Authorities said identifying the six victims may take several days. Collaud noted it remains unclear whether the individual suspected of starting the fire is among those who died.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin issued a statement expressing condolences and confirmed that an investigation is ongoing.
"It shocks and saddens me that once again people have lost their lives in a serious fire in Switzerland," he said on X.
Local residents began placing flowers near the scene, while a memorial is being set up in the village square, according to Swiss newspaper Tribune de Genève. Authorities said DNA testing may be needed to confirm the identities of some victims.
