Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and his family were forced to flee from their residence early Sunday during an arson attack on the mansion in Harrisburg that significantly damaged a section of the building, the governor and state authorities said.
Mr. Shapiro, a Democrat, said on social media that the Pennsylvania State Police woke him and his family by banging on the door around 2 a.m. to warn them of the fire which was in a different part of the residence, the state police said. The governor said no one was injured.
The State Police and the Pennsylvania Capitol Police evacuated his family while firefighters extinguished the fire, the governor said.
“Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities,” the governor said. “Last night, they did so for our family — and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.”
The State Police said in a statement that the fire caused “a significant amount of damage to a portion of the residence.”
The police did not identify a suspect, and said an investigation was underway.
Hours before the fire, Mr. Shapiro, who also has a home north of Philadelphia, wrote on social media that he and his family were marking Passover, which began at sunset on Saturday.
Images posted on social media showed firefighters battling the fire. A portion of the mansion was obscured in dark smoke, and some windows were shattered.
Bryan Flores, 37, a neighbor who lives across the street from the residence, said he awoke shortly after 2 a.m. to see a large response outside from the police and firefighters. “We woke up to the sirens and the flashing lights and stuff,” Mr. Flores said. He added that the incident seemed under control at that point.
Mr. Shapiro, a Democrat, gained national prominence last year when he was on the short list of possible running mates for Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic presidential ticket. She eventually chose Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. Before being elected governor of Pennsylvania in 2022, Mr. Shapiro served for six years as the state’s attorney general.
Mr. Shapiro has been the target of threats at least once before. In November 2023, the police arrested a man who they said sent a threatening email to him, according to a Pennsylvania State Police report. It was unclear on Sunday if the man was charged in connection with that incident.
Officials have not said what they thought the motive was for the arson. The state police are offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
Recent high-profile incidents of violence directed at political figures have helped feed fear and unease among Americans, polls have shown. Before the presidential election last year, for instance, about 4 in 10 voters said they were extremely or very concerned about violent attempts to challenge the outcome. The assassination attempt against President Trump last summer took place in Butler, Pa., a little over 200 miles west of Harrisburg.
Other serious incidents have included a foiled plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan in 2020, and the home invasion and assault at the home of Nancy Pelosi in 2023, which seriously injured the former House speaker’s husband, Paul.
Though American politics has grown increasingly acrimonious and deeply polarized in recent years, research shows that extremist violence in the United States has actually declined. Scholars who study the issue have said that the political climate has not become more broadly violent.
Campbell Robertson contributed reporting. Susan Beachy contributed research.
