State Police investigating arson at Governor’s Residence early Sunday morning

• LNP|LancasterOnline Staff
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Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a fire they believe was intentionally set at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police are asking the public’s assistance in identifying the individuals involved in setting the fire.

Around 2 a.m. the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire responded to the Governor’s Residence located at 2035 N. Front Street in Harrisburg for reports of a fire.

State police say the fire caused “a significant amount of damage to a portion of the residence,” before being successfully extinguished.

Police say Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were in another part of the residence at the time of the fire and were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported in the incident.

“The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were evacuated from the Residence safely by Pennsylvania State Police and assisted by Capitol Police,” Shapiro wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Sunday morning. “Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished.”

The fire occurred on the first night of the Jewish holiday of Passover. According to the Associated Press, Shapiro and his family had just celebrated the holiday at the Governor’s Residence.

State police say there is a multi-agency investigation led by Troop H, which covers Perry, Cumberland, Adams, Franklin and Dauphin counties.

“While the investigation is ongoing, the State Police is prepared to say at this time that this was an act of arson,” police wrote in a press release.

State police are offering a $10,000 reward for information submitted through their tipline which leads to the arrest of the person or persons responsible. Anyone with information should call 1-800-4PA TIPS (1-800-472-8477).

State police have declined to provide additional information at this time but say they will release updates as the investigation progresses.