6 Killed After Man Sets Himself on Fire Inside Bus

At least six people were killed and several others injured after a bus suddenly erupted in flames in Switzerland in what investigators believe may have been a deliberate act.

The terrifying incident unfolded Tuesday in the small town of Kerzers, about 12 miles from the Swiss capital of Bern. Authorities say the blaze may have started after a passenger reportedly set himself on fire while inside the bus.

Police said the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames as passengers scrambled to escape the burning bus.

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

Three people were rushed to the hospital with injuries, while two others received medical treatment at the scene but did not require hospitalization.

Witnesses described scenes of panic as passengers fled the vehicle while it burned.

According to Swiss outlet 20 Minutes, a video recorded shortly after the incident captured an injured passenger claiming a man had poured gasoline on himself before lighting the fire.

“A man set himself on fire. He poured gasoline over himself and then lit himself,” the witness said.

Investigators are now examining whether the man intentionally started the fire, though officials say it is still too early to determine whether the incident was connected to terrorism.

After firefighters extinguished the blaze, images from the scene showed the charred remains of the yellow Postauto bus sitting on the roadside.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin issued a statement expressing shock and condolences to the victims’ families.

“It shocks and saddens me that once again people have lost their lives in a serious fire in Switzerland,” Parmelin said, adding that authorities are working to determine exactly what happened.

The tragedy comes just months after another devastating fire struck Switzerland. In January, a massive blaze at a bar in the ski resort town of Crans-Montana killed 41 people and injured more than 100.

Officials say the investigation into the deadly bus fire is ongoing.