Investigators are treating a fire in Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Vermont office Friday night as arson, according to local authorities.
In an updated press release Saturday afternoon, the Burlington Fire Department announced that it had “deemed this fire incendiary in nature” and said the investigation has been transferred to the Vermont State Police.
State police said they are looking for one male suspect who is believed to have used a possible accelerant to start a “significant fire” in an area of the senator’s office that endangered staff who were inside. According to the Burlington Fire Department, the sprinkler system doused the flames, and none of the staff members were injured.
As of Saturday afternoon, authorities did not release a motive for the attack.
Friday’s fire follows a series of smaller violations — that have otherwise been limited to stickers and spray-paint vandalism — at the offices of other lawmakers in recent months.