A bus fire in western Switzerland killed six people and injured five others Tuesday evening, March 10, 2026, in what authorities now suspect was a deliberate act by a psychologically unstable passenger who set himself ablaze.
The inferno erupted around 5:45 p.m. local time on a PostBus vehicle in Kerzers, a small town in Fribourg canton located roughly 15 miles west of Bern, the Swiss capital. Video footage from the scene showed flames several meters high bursting from the windows as thick black smoke billowed into the sky. The regional transport bus became completely engulfed before first responders could contain the blaze.
Police spokesperson Frederic Papaux announced at a news conference that investigators have opened a criminal probe into the incident. “At this stage, we have elements suggesting a deliberate act by a person who was inside the bus,” Papaux said. Authorities declined to elaborate on specific evidence pointing to arson.
According to officials, a survivor told investigators that a Swiss man in his 60s sprayed a flammable liquid on his body before igniting himself. The man, described by Fribourg’s general prosecutor as “psychologically unstable,” is believed to be among the deceased. Authorities confirmed the suspect boarded the bus in the Düdingen municipality, located about 11 miles south of Kerzers.
Despite the deliberate nature of the attack, officials quickly ruled out terrorism. Fribourg Canton police communications chief Martial Pugin told Swiss broadcaster RTS on Wednesday that while an intentional act is the most likely scenario, there is presently no evidence of a terror attack.
The fire’s rapid spread left little time for escape. Images from the scene depicted a fully engulfed vehicle with doors that appeared to be open. When emergency crews arrived, people were still fleeing the burning bus, panicked and injured, though Papaux did not confirm how many passengers were aboard.
Ambulance teams and helicopters rushed three people with severe injuries to area hospitals, while paramedics treated two others on site. Among the five injured was a paramedic who intervened to provide assistance. Three of the injured remain in critical condition. The six deceased have not yet been publicly identified.
Fire investigators spent Wednesday examining the charred shell of the bus, working to pinpoint where the blaze originated. Police are also inspecting the fuel-powered vehicle to eliminate any potential technical malfunction as a cause.
The regional government confirmed the severity of the situation: “After rushing to the scene, rescue teams noted that the vehicle was totally engulfed in flames.”
The bus was operated by PostBus, a transportation service affiliated with Switzerland’s national postal service. The distinctive yellow buses serve remote areas throughout the country and carry approximately 500,000 passengers daily, including many schoolchildren who rely on the service for their commutes.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed his condolences on social media. “I am shocked and saddened that people in Switzerland have once again lost their lives in a serious fire,” Parmelin wrote, extending his thoughts to the families of the deceased, the injured, and the emergency services.
The president’s reference to “once again” alludes to another devastating fire that struck Switzerland just months earlier. On New Year’s Eve, a blaze at Le Constellation bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort killed 41 people and injured more than 115 others. Investigators determined that fire started when sparklers on champagne bottles ignited the bar’s ceiling.
The back-to-back tragedies have shaken the Alpine nation, which prides itself on safety and efficiency in public services. The latest incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of emergency evacuation procedures and fire safety protocols on public transportation.
Fribourg police emphasized that their investigation remains active and comprehensive. Officers are working to piece together a complete timeline of events and determine why the fire spread so quickly despite the bus doors being open.
Authorities have not confirmed reports that the suspect doused himself in gasoline, though witness accounts suggest a flammable accelerant was used. The criminal investigation, led by public prosecutors, aims to establish the exact sequence of events and motivations behind the attack.
As the small community of Kerzers mourns, officials from across Switzerland have offered support to the victims’ families and first responders who confronted the horrific scene.