Governor's residence set on fire in US

Pennsylvania: The residence of the governor of the US state of Pennsylvania was set on fire, severely damaging part of the house, however, the governor and his family were safe. A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and the incident is under investigation.

A 38-year-old man has been arrested on charges of setting the governor’s house on fire. The incident occurred when Governor Josh Shapiro, his wife, four children, two pet dogs, and another family were in the residence.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, the fire broke out at 2:00am and was extinguished by the fire brigade, but the building was severely damaged. According to Governor Shapiro, everyone was safely evacuated.

Police have taken a man named Cody Ballmer into custody. District Attorney France Chardo says he will be charged with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and assault on a public figure. Federal charges could also be filed against the suspect.

According to authorities, the suspect also had improvised explosive devices. Lt. Col. George Bivins says the attack was planned but the exact motive is unknown. The suspect climbed over the fence of the residence, entered and set it on fire, and was inside for less than a minute.

The incident occurred at a time when Ballmer was scheduled to appear in court in another case. He was previously convicted in 2016 of forgery and fraud.

Photos from the aftermath of the incident show a section of the governor's mansion destroyed. Furniture is charred and ash is scattered on the floor. The walls and ceilings are blackened. This is the same place where the governor held a Passover (Jewish holiday) ceremony the previous night.

Governor Shapiro called the incident an attack on the people of Pennsylvania and said that if the attack was intended to intimidate them, he would work harder. He expressed pride in his Jewish identity, saying that his family and the state's citizens will continue to openly express their beliefs.

Shapiro won the election as governor of Pennsylvania in 2022 and is also a potential presidential candidate in 2028.

“We are safe tonight thanks to the diligence of the Pennsylvania State Police. We are grateful to them,” he said on social media.

The FBI and state police are investigating the incident, and security arrangements are being reviewed to prevent such incidents in the future.

Several politicians expressed solidarity with Governor Shapiro after the incident. Vice President J.D. Vance called it a ‘despicable’ attack, while Senator John Fetterman said that ‘the attacker should be punished to the fullest extent of the law’.