By Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were forced to evacuate the governor’s residence early Sunday morning after a fire—now confirmed as arson—erupted overnight, damaging a large section of the historic property.
The blaze broke out shortly after 2 a.m. on the first night of Passover, writes The Associated Press. The Shapiros had been asleep in a separate wing of the mansion, which sits along the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg. No injuries were reported. Fire crews contained the flames, but investigators say the southern section of the residence suffered significant damage.
Extensive fire damage inside Pennsylvania Governor’s residence after arson attack overnight, seen here in a series of photos provided by @GovernorShapiro officers. pic.twitter.com/06CxpY3d79
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) April 13, 2025
Pennsylvania State Police are treating the incident as a criminal act. “We are prepared to say at this time that this was an act of arson,” the agency said in a statement. They have offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Investigators have not disclosed how the fire was set or whether any suspects have been identified.
Shapiro, a Democrat widely considered a frontrunner for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination, said he awoke to urgent knocks from state troopers alerting the family to evacuate. “Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” he said in a public statement.
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 Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.
The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were…
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) April 13, 2025
The mansion, built in the 1960s and used by Pennsylvania governors ever since, showed visible damage by Sunday morning. Windows were shattered and blackened, and a section of fencing had been removed and wrapped in plastic for evidence analysis. Investigators cordoned off part of the property as the inquiry continued.
The governor and his family had gathered at the residence to celebrate Passover. Hours before the fire, Shapiro had posted a photo of their Seder table. Emergency crews, including the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire, responded swiftly and escorted the family to safety.
From the Shapiro family's Seder table to yours, happy Passover and Chag Pesach Sameach! pic.twitter.com/2II1Id1W23
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) April 12, 2025
The arson drew swift condemnation across party lines, noted CBS News. Former Republican Gov. Mark Schweiker called the fire “a despicable act of cowardice.” Former Gov. Tom Ridge described it as “heartbreaking” and said the perpetrator must be held accountable for an attack “on both the Shapiro family and our Commonwealth.”
Though Shapiro also maintains a residence in Abington, near Philadelphia, he frequently stays at the Harrisburg mansion while performing official duties. As of Sunday, the investigation remained active with no arrests made.
Is the Pennsylvania gears up to run for president, he’s likely to face a leftwing base of the Democratic Party that has grown rabidly antisemitic over the past few years. Shapiro, who is Jewish, was protested by pro-Palestinian activists over the summer of 2024, who labeled him as “Genocide Josh” because he supported Israel’s war against Hamas.
The New Republic, for example, wrote that the swing state, very popular governor, would be the one bad running mate choice for Kamala Harris, labeling him as “the one vice presidential pick who could ruin Democratic unity.” Shapiro, according to the liberal outlet, “stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine.”
“Unfortunately,” the magazine continued, “Shapiro also stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine. It’s not just that he, like many Democrats, is an outspoken supporter of Israel—though he certainly is, having championed Israel’s war against Hamas consistently and without any apparent concern for Palestinian civilians. Shapiro has, moreover, done far more than most Democrats to attack pro-Palestine antiwar demonstrators, in ways that call into question his basic commitment to First Amendment rights.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich called Kamala’s choice of Walz over Harris a boon for Trump.
“Well look, they have a big problem. I think, by the way, this is why in the end Harris will not be able to pick Governor Shapiro of Pennsylvania,” Gingrich said. “I think to walk into that convention with a Jewish governor as her vice presidential candidate would cause such a level of tension in places like Michigan that it would just be a wild scene. Sort of resemble Union Station. They have a real problem.”
‘They Have A Real Problem’: Newt Gingrich Reveals Josh Shapiro As Running Mate Could Derail Kamala’s Campaign | Daily Caller
Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich revealed Thursday evening Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is the one running mate option that… pic.twitter.com/ghqSlbYRXi
— Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) July 26, 2024
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“The problem is more and more of their party’s anti-Semitic, more and more of their party sides with terrorism. More and more of their party is deeply hostile, not just to Israel, they are deeply hostile to the United States,” Gingrich said.
[Read More: A New ‘Party Of The People’ Shocks Dems]
