Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro on Sunday said the governor’s residence was set on fire overnight by an arsonist, prompting his family’s evacuation.

“Last night at about 2AM, my family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governors Residence in Harrisburg,” Shapiro posted on social media, “Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished.”

Shapiro, a Democrat in a competitive US electoral state, is considered a potential candidate for his party’s presidential contest in 2028. “While the fire was successfully extinguished, it caused a significant amount of damage to a portion of the residence,” said the Pennsylvania State Police, the department investigating the alleged arson.

“While the investigation is ongoing, the State Police is prepared to say at this time that this was an act of arson,” the state police said. The investigators did not cite any potential motive.

Before the fire, Shapiro, who is Jewish, posted last night about his family’s Seder table while celebrating Passover.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2025