Unanswered questions, outrage, and grief have gripped Kerzers, Switzerland, following the deaths of at least six people inside a bus after an unidentified man doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Eyewitnesses and surviving passengers described — from the very first moments — a calm, mysterious man who poured gasoline over his body and ignited it aboard the vehicle.
Rapid Spread, Deadly Consequences
The flames spread quickly, turning the bus into a lethal trap. In addition to the six fatalities, five others were injured and rushed to Swiss hospitals with severe burns. Three of those remain in critical condition.
Authorities Probe Motive, Rule Out No Scenario
Swiss authorities are examining all possible motives behind the man’s decision to end his life in such a devastating manner. The police have not commented on whether the act is being treated as a terrorist attack.
Emergency Response and Scene Details
Firefighters, police, and medical teams responded immediately. The bus was almost entirely destroyed by the fire. Local media published harrowing images showing the vehicle reduced to a charred shell, with flames shooting several meters into the air and thick smoke blanketing the area.
A video obtained by police shows a man running from the bus shouting for help, then sitting on the sidewalk and yelling: “He doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire.”
Survivors who escaped unharmed fled from the flames and broke down in tears. The acrid smell of burning metal hung heavily in the air. Only a blackened, twisted frame remained of the bus.
A local resident said emergency services had set up a command tent at the scene to collect evidence for the investigation. “Everything was black — there was a massive column of smoke,” they recalled.