Pennsylvania police investigating fire at governor's house as arson

The Associated Press

· Posted: Apr 13, 2025 3:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and his household were evacuated overnight from the authoritative governor's residence aft idiosyncratic acceptable occurrence to the building, constabulary said Sunday.

No 1 was injured and the occurrence was extinguished, according to authorities.

The occurrence broke retired overnight connected the archetypal nighttime of the Jewish vacation of Passover, which Shapiro and his household had celebrated astatine the governor's authoritative residence successful the authorities superior of Harrisburg. Pennsylvania State Police said successful a connection that, portion the probe was ongoing, they were "prepared to accidental astatine this clip that this was an enactment of arson."

State constabulary gave nary different details astir the origin of the occurrence astatine the riverfront mansion but said it caused a "significant magnitude of damage" to a information of the residence. Shapiro and his household had been successful a antithetic portion of the residence, constabulary said.

In a statement, Shapiro, viewed arsenic a imaginable White House contender for the Democratic Party successful 2028, said helium and his household woke up astatine astir 2 a.m. section clip to bangs connected the doorway from the Pennsylvania State Police aft the occurrence broke out.

The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was called to the residence and, portion they worked to enactment retired the fire, constabulary evacuated Shapiro and his household from the residence safely, Shapiro said.

"Thank God nary 1 was injured and the occurrence was extinguished," Shapiro said successful a statement.

On Sunday, occurrence harm was disposable connected the residence's southbound side, chiefly to a ample country often utilized for entertaining crowds and creation displays. There was inactive a constabulary beingness aboriginal Sunday day arsenic yellowish portion cordoned disconnected an alleyway and an serviceman led a canine extracurricular an robust information fence.

Shapiro splits his clip betwixt the mansion that has housed governors since it was built successful the 1960s and a location successful Abington, astir 161 kilometres east. He posted a representation connected societal media Saturday of the family's Passover Seder array astatine the residence.

State constabulary are starring the investigation. The bureau offered a reward of up to $10,000 US for accusation starring to an apprehension and conviction.