Kenneth Glad
Authorities are continuing to examine the aftermath of a fatal incident involving public transport in the Fribourg region. The investigation remains ongoing as officials work to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Investigators in western Switzerland are still working to identify several people killed in a devastating bus fire, with officials warning the process could take days due to the severity of the damage.
The tragedy has shocked the small town of Kerzers, writes The Daily Star, where a routine evening bus journey turned into a fatal incident now under intense police investigation.
Investigation focuses on suspected act
Authorities believe the blaze may have been intentionally triggered by a passenger on board the vehicle. Early witness accounts suggest a man used a flammable substance before igniting himself, causing the fire to spread rapidly inside the bus.
“The main line of inquiry is currently a deliberate act,” police spokesperson Martial Pugin said, while noting that “at this stage, there is no evidence pointing to a terrorist motive”.
Another spokesperson, Frédéric Papaux, said statements collected from witnesses point in a similar direction.
“People near and on the bus spoke of someone who appeared to have acted intentionally with an incendiary device,” Papaux said.
Detectives are now interviewing passengers and bystanders while forensic specialists examine the burned vehicle to determine exactly how the fire started.
Identification process underway
Authorities say identifying the victims is proving difficult because of the extent of the fire damage. According to the Daily Star‘s citing of Swiss officials, confirming the identities of those killed could take “several days”.
Police say specialist teams are carrying out detailed forensic examinations before any official identification can be announced.
“The necessary forensic work is underway,” a police spokesperson said.
Pugin told the Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS that investigators cannot yet provide a timeline for the process. For now, officials have not released information about the victims’ ages or genders.
Evening bus turns deadly
The incident occurred Tuesday evening in Kerzers, a small municipality in the canton of Fribourg situated between Bern and the city of Fribourg. Regional bus services in the area are widely used by commuters and students travelling between nearby towns.
According to Fribourg police, the cantonal command centre received reports shortly after 6:25 p.m. local time that a postal bus travelling along Murtenstrasse had caught fire.
By the time emergency crews reached the location, flames had already spread through the vehicle. Firefighters fought to contain the blaze while rescue teams helped passengers escape.
At least six people died and five others were injured in the incident, reports Swiss broadcaster RTS.
Several ambulances and a REGA rescue helicopter were deployed. Three injured victims were taken to hospital, while two others were treated at the scene.
Sources: Daily Star, RTS,
