At least six people died and five others were injured after a bus caught fire Tuesday afternoon in the town of Kerzers, known in French as Chiètres, in the canton of Fribourg, in western Switzerland. The authorities are investigating the event as a deliberately provoked incident, assuring that it could be a terrorist attack
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The fire occurred around 18:25 local time on the main street of this small town located about 20 kilometers west of the Swiss capital, Bern. According to the Fribourg cantonal police, when emergency services arrived at the scene, the vehicle was already completely engulfed in flames
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The firefighters immediately began extinguishing and rescue work while the police established a security perimeter in the area. Several ambulances and a medical helicopter were deployed to treat the victims
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According to authorities, the fire left at least six dead and five people injured. Three of the injured are in serious condition and were taken to nearby hospitals. Two other people received medical care at the scene, although they ultimately did not require hospitalization. It was also reported that one of the rescuers may have been injured during emergency operations
. At least six people died after a terrorist sets fire to a bus
Eyewitnesses described a dramatic scene. Videos released on social networks show large flames coming out of the bus windows and a thick column of black smoke rising over the center of the town. A resident of Kerzers noted that smoke was visible from several points in the city
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The bus involved in the incident had previously left the municipality of Düdingen, located about 17 kilometers south of Kerzers. Authorities have not yet confirmed how many people were traveling in the vehicle at the time the fire started
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According to preliminary information, the possibility that a person sprayed himself with gasoline inside the bus before the fire started is being considered. However, the police noted that this event has not been officially confirmed and that it continues to be one of the lines of investigation.
Freiburg cantonal police sergeant Frederic Papaux stated that the incident is being treated as a man-made and potentially deliberate act.
However, he avoided confirming whether it was a terrorist attack, a suicide act or some other type of aggression
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The prosecution has opened a criminal investigation to determine the exact causes of the tragedy. Forensic teams are working in the area analyzing the wreckage of the bus and collecting evidence to clarify how the fire originated
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Meanwhile, the area where the event occurred remains cordoned off. The burned bus was covered with white tarps installed along the road to preserve the scene while investigative work continues
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The authorities asked the population to avoid approaching the scene of the incident so as not to interfere with the work of emergency teams and researchers. The case has generated great shock in Switzerland, a country where incidents of this magnitude are rare
. The Swiss police are investigating the case as an attack in which a man deliberately sprayed a bus with gasoline
