A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)
See the fire damage inside the Pa. governor’s mansion in wake of arson | PHOTOS
At a news conference Sunday evening, officials identified the suspect as Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg.
The fire badly damaged the inside of the large room that is often used for entertaining crowds and art displays in the building, which has served as the governor’s residence since it was completed in 1968. Large west- and south-facing windows were completely missing their glass panes, shattered glass littered the pathways and doors stood ajar amid signs of charring. Window panes and brick around doors and windows were blackened and charred.
Inside, a charred piano, tables, walls, metal buffet serving dishes and more could be seen through broken windows and fire-blackened doors.
See photos of the damage below:
A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)Extensive fire damage to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence is seen during a press conference April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)
A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)
A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)
A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)
Charred tables and dishes are visible inside the Pennsylvania governor’s official residence after a man was arrested in an alleged arson that forced Gov. Shapiro, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)
A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)
A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)
A fire-damaged room in the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg, where authorities say a man committed arson early Sunday, April 13, 2025. The fire forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to be evacuated from the residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)Extensive fire damage to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion is seen during a press conference April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg. Authorities have one suspect, Cody Balmer, in custody and say that the suspect accessed the property from a fence in the back. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)Damage to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence is shown after someone set fire to the building on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Harrisburg. (Sean Simmers/The Patriot-News via AP)
Police investigate Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence after someone set fire to the building on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg. (Sean Simmers /The Patriot-News via AP)Charred wood trim and brick are visible at the Pennsylvania governor’s official residence after a man was arrested in the alleged arson that forced Gov. Shapiro, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Marc Levy/AP)Charred wood trim and brick are visible at the Pennsylvania governor’s official residence after a man was arrested in the alleged arson that forced Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Marc Levy/AP)
A charred piano, left, is visible inside the Pennsylvania governor’s official residence after a man was arrested in the alleged arson that forced Gov. Shapiro, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Marc Levy/AP)Windows and a door are damaged from an overnight fire at the governor’s official residence Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Marc Levy/AP)Windows and a door are damaged from an overnight fire at the governor’s official residence Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Marc Levy/AP)
Investigators are on the scene after an overnight fire at the governor’s official residence on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Harrisburg. (Marc Levy/AP)
