Six Dead After 65-Year-Old Man Sets Fire to PostBus in Kerzers, Switzerland

A 65-year-old Swiss man set fire to a PostBus in the center of Kerzers, in the canton of Fribourg, on the evening of March 10, 2026, killing six people including himself and the 63-year-old bus driver. The man, identified in Swiss media as Roger K., poured a flammable liquid over himself and ignited it while aboard the vehicle. The fire spread within seconds, filling the bus with toxic smoke and blocking the rear exit, trapping passengers inside. Five other people were injured in the attack, including four passengers and a paramedic. The bus driver, who colleagues described as a dedicated professional, died alongside the perpetrator and four other victims. Fellow bus drivers gathered to pay tribute to their colleague in the days following the tragedy, according to watson.ch.

Roger K. was described by investigators and media as psychically unstable and was under the care of a legal guardian, known in Swiss law as a Beistand. According to reporting by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and 20 Minuten, he had been living in a neglected camper and was facing eviction, with authorities planning to move him into a care home. The Focus outlet identified the perpetrator as Peter M., though Swiss sources including SRF News and 20 Minuten used the name Roger K. In 2019, the same individual had barricaded himself inside a building belonging to SRF, the Swiss public broadcaster, according to watson.ch and 20 Minuten. A psychiatrist cited by SRF News described Roger K. as having been in a state of acute psychological crisis at the time of the attack. Forensic experts, as reported by Swiss media, noted that his behavior was atypical for this category of violent act.

Kerzers is a municipality in the district of Lac in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. PostBus, known in German as Postauto, is a major Swiss regional transport operator with roots in the historic postal coach network. The 2019 barricade incident at the SRF building had previously brought Roger K. to the attention of authorities, though no confirmed information is available on what legal or psychiatric measures followed that episode.

A fire safety expert interviewed by Swiss media explained why passengers were unable to escape the burning vehicle, noting that smoke filled the bus within seconds of ignition and that the rear exit was effectively blocked. The speed of the fire's spread left little time for evacuation. The local school in Kerzers put support measures in place to help students process the tragedy, according to SRF News. The incident prompted broader discussion in Switzerland about the circumstances that preceded the attack, including the perpetrator's living conditions and the handling of his case by social services. Swiss authorities continued their investigation in the days following the attack, with media reporting focusing on the perpetrator's background and the moments leading up to the fire.