On Tuesday, March 10, a bus caught fire in western Switzerland—at least six people were killed and five others were injured. Police say they cannot rule out the possibility that the blaze was the result of deliberate action.
The fire broke out at around 6:25 p.m. on a bus parked on the main street of the small town of Kerzers, about 20 kilometers west of the Swiss capital, Bern.
Videos circulating on social media show flames several meters high shooting from the bus windows, while thick plumes of black smoke rise into the sky.
The fire “left at least six people dead and five injured, three of them seriously,” Frederic Papo, a sergeant with the Fribourg cantonal police, told AFP.
Firefighters gather near the charred shell of the postal bus (not pictured) after the fire in Kerzers, Switzerland.
AFP
“Police are currently treating the fire as an incident caused by human action, and they are not ruling out that it may have been intentional,” he said, without offering further details.
At a press conference, police officials declined to answer whether the incident could be considered an act of terrorism.
In a statement, the Fribourg cantonal police said that public prosecutors had opened a criminal investigation “to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy.”
According to an AFP journalist, the charred remains of the bus were concealed behind white tarpaulin screens stretched across the road. The scene was cordoned off with police tape, with officers standing guard nearby. Firefighters and fire engines were also present at the site.
Firefighters gather near the charred shell of the postal bus (not pictured) after the fire in Kerzers, Switzerland.
AFP
“Emergency services rushed to the scene and found the vehicle completely engulfed in flames. Firefighters carried out rescue operations and began extinguishing the blaze. A security perimeter was established,” the police statement said.
Several ambulances and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene, and three of the injured were taken to hospital.
Two other people were examined at the scene but did not require hospitalization.
Police said recovery and security operations were ongoing and urged residents to stay away from the area.