Pennsylvania Governor Evacuates Home With Family After Suspected Arson

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a rising star in the Democratic Party, and his family were evacuated from the Governor’s Residence early Sunday morning due to a fire suspected to be arson, according to officials.

At roughly 2:00 a.m., members of the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire responded to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg following reports of a fire, the Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement. Firefighters successfully extinguished the blaze, but not before it caused significant damage to a portion of the residence, police said. Shapiro and his family were in a different part of the building at the time and were evacuated safely.

“My family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg,” Shapiro said in a post on X.

“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,” he added. “Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished.”

A multi-agency investigation is underway, but the Pennsylvania State Police said on Sunday that it was already prepared to attribute the fire to arson.

Shapiro is a former attorney general of Pennsylvania who was first elected governor in 2022. He is widely seen as a potential contender for the White House race in 2028. Vice President Kamala Harris even considered Shapiro to be her running mate in her failed 2024 presidential run before she settled on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

According to a biography on the governor’s website, Shapiro and his wife, Lori, have four children, ranging in age from their early 20s to early teens.

“Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities,” Shapiro said. “Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.”

Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Austin Davis was among those who expressed relief upon learning that Shapiro and his family made it out unscathed.

“Blayre and I are relieved to know the Shapiro family is safe and unharmed, and I’m confident the State Police will get to the bottom of who perpetrated this crime. I won’t speculate on motivations, but I will say that targeting elected officials and their family members with violence is never acceptable,” Davis said on X. “These sorts of acts deter good people from pursuing public service at a time when we desperately need more Americans to participate in our democracy.”

Authorities are offering a reward of up to $10,000 through PSP Tips for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Anyone with information was urged to contact 1-800-4PA-TIPS (1-800-472-8477).