pa fire
Latin Times

Pennsylvania police arrested a 38-year-old man accused of setting fire to the governor's mansion on Sunday, forcing Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) and his family and guests to evacuate the residence.

Cody Balmer of Harrisburg was awaiting charges that are expected to include attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault after he allegedly set fire to the home in the early morning hours Sunday.

The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire responded to the call around 2 a.m., extinguishing the blaze after it caused "a significant amount of damage," according to state police.

Shapiro, a Jewish, Democratic leader in a politically divided state, said he and his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family who were observing Passover were awakened by the fire and forced to evacuate in the middle of the night.

"If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community, who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: we celebrated our faith last night, proudly and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover," Shapiro said.

"No one will deter me or my family, or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly."

Balmer allegedly climbed a fence and "forcibly entered" the residence before using "homemade incendiary devices" to start the fire. Police did not provide an alleged motive for the attack.