CANTON POLICE OF FREIBURG / EPO
Photo released by the Friborg police of the charred wreckage of the bus that burned
A Portuguese citizen is among the victims of a bus fire that killed six people and injured five, on Tuesday, near Freiburg, Switzerland.
O firewhich began late Tuesday afternoon on a regional transport bus in Kerzers, caused at least six dead and five injured, two of them seriously, said the cantonal police.
On Wednesday night, in a note of condolence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) said that one of the fatal victims is Portuguese.
“The MNE deeply regrets the death of a Portuguese citizen in the tragic fire in Kerzers, Switzerland. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the family and express solidarity with the authorities and victims”, can be read in the publication published on the X social network.
Premeditated fire by a “disturbed” person
Swiss authorities ruled out terrorist motives and said the fire was caused by a man who set fire to himself.
“A witness reported that a man, whom investigation showed to be of Swiss origin (…) entered the bus with bags in his hands. At one point, he sprayed himself with a flammable product and set it on fire”, he detailed Raphael Bourquinprosecutor for the canton, at a press conference in Granges-Paccot, near Fribourg.
“As far as the motives are concerned, there is absolutely no element to suggest that it could be a terrorist act,” said Bourquin.
The family of the alleged perpetrator, a 60-year-old man residing in Bern, had “announced his disappearance” and “the current elements of the investigation describe him as a marginal and disturbed person“, added the prosecutor, noting that “it appears that this person would be among the deceased”.
Itamaraty had already expressed on social media its “deep regret for the tragic bus accident” in Kerzers (Chiètres), Switzerland.
The accident occurred on a “postal bus”, a postal service public transport iconic in the country, which connects rural and mountainous locations, so called because it was created to distribute correspondence.
Swiss “postal buses” are traditional in the country, recognized by their yellow color, punctuality and three-tone horn (used to warn on tight curves).
Fribourg cantonal police suspect arson after a man allegedly poured gasoline on himself and ignited it aboard a PostBus in Kerzers, Switzerland.
Killing 6 and injuring 5 (3 critically). Criminal probe ongoing.
— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar)
