Swiss bus company announces additional training after fatal fire
A feeling of insecurity has prevailed since a fire on a bus claimed six lives in Kerzers, canton Fribourg, said Stefan Regli, the CEO of PostBus. He told the newspaper SonntagsBlick that additional training will therefore be provided to drivers.
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“No safety measure in the world could have prevented the Kerzers incident,” said the PostBus boss in an interview with SonntagsBlick. “Our drivers are trained to deal with difficult passengers and fire safety,” he added. But since last Tuesday, when a man on the bus set himself on fire, a degree of insecurity has prevailed. “It is important that bus attendants feel safe in their day-to-day work”, said Regli.
The company now intends to offer additional training courses. Safety remains the top priority, said Regli, who described the Kerzers fire as a tragic and exceptional case.
A minute’s silence
In memory of the victims and the injured, Regli announced there will be a minute’s silence at 2pm on Monday. Drivers throughout Switzerland will stop to observe this moment and express their solidarity by sounding the three-tone signal or the horn. Participation will be voluntary.
+ All victims of Swiss bus fire identified
The company will also examine the possibility of making a financial contribution to those affected by the fire on the PostBus. For the time being, the company is still in a phase of shock and solidarity, said Regli.
An above-average number of passengers
According to the latest police information, on Tuesday a 65-year-old Swiss man suffering from “psychological instability” set himself on fire in a PostBus in the village of Kerzers. The fire claimed the lives of five other people and injured five others.
+ Six killed in Swiss bus fire after man reportedly set himself alight
“On average, on this stretch of line at that time of day, there were usually six people on the bus,” said Regli. However, the exact number of passengers at the time of the attack is still under investigation.
When asked by SonntagsBlick whether PostBus would take legal action, Regli declined to comment. The public prosecutor’s office is still investigating the incident. “We will draw our conclusions later and seek legal advice,” said the CEO.
Translated from French with AI/gw
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