At least six people have died after a bus caught fire in Kerzers, Switzerland, in what police say may have been a deliberate act. Witnesses reported a man inside the vehicle set himself alight. Three others were injured and taken to hospital, while authorities continue their investigation.

The fire broke out on Tuesday evening at around 6.25pm (local time), engulfing the vehicle on a local road approximately 20km (12 miles) from Bern, the Swiss capital. Witnesses reported that a man on the bus poured petrol over himself and set himself alight, a claim supported by multiple accounts and shared in a video obtained by Swiss newspaper Blick.

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

Another spokesperson, Christa Bielmann, added that it was too early to determine whether the incident was linked to terrorism.

Authorities later said five people were injured in the incident, with three reported to be in critical condition. The injured include four passengers and a paramedic who had intervened to provide assistance. Others escaped the flames with panic and burns. The victims’ identities have not yet been released.

Video footage after the fire was extinguished showed the charred remains of the bus. Authorities have set up barriers to shield the vehicle and have urged residents to avoid the area while the investigation continues.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed his condolences, saying on X, “It shocks and saddens me that once again people have lost their lives in a serious fire in Switzerland.”

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In an interview with Swiss public broadcaster RTS, Fribourg Canton police communications chief Martial Pugin said an intentional act appeared the most likely explanation, but added that investigators had found no evidence so far that the fire was linked to terrorism.

The bus involved was operated by PostBus, the country’s distinctive yellow rural transport network that connects remote communities with towns and also carries letters and parcels. The service transports around half a million passengers daily, including many schoolchildren.

Investigators have appealed for additional witnesses to come forward with information about the moments leading up to the fire.

The incident comes less than three months after another deadly blaze in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, where a bar fire on New Year’s Day killed 41 people and injured 115 others.

Police have confirmed they are treating the Kerzers fire as a possible “wilful act” and have not ruled out the involvement of terrorism. Investigators continue to gather evidence and question witnesses.

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