Police in Vermont are looking for a person who reportedly set a fire on Friday outside the office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. The small fire caused slight damage but no one was hurt.
Officials say an unidentified male suspect sprayed a potential accelerant on the office door, set it on fire, and then ran away. They mentioned that the suspect is still at large, and no clear reason for the action had been determined.
The Burlington police stated, “A significant fire consumed the door and a part of the entrance area, blocking the exit for staff members who were in the office at the time and putting their lives at risk.” The fire was largely put out by the sprinkler system.
Earlier in the day, the Burlington Fire Department reported that they had responded to a call on Friday morning and discovered a fire between the entrance area, the elevator, and the office door of Sanders’ third-floor office in Burlington. The office door was moderately damaged by fire, and a large portion of the third floor suffered substantial water damage. The offices of Sanders and nearby ones were evacuated.
A representative for Sanders did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Sanders was not present at the office.
