The fire, believed to have been intentionally started outside the office in Burlington on Friday, involved a man spraying what authorities suspect was an accelerant on the office door before fleeing the scene. The suspect remains at large, with authorities yet to determine a motive for the act.
Burlington police described the incident, stating, “A significant fire engulfed the door and part of the vestibule, impeding the egress of staff members who were working in the office and endangering their lives. The sprinkler system then engaged and largely extinguished the fire.”
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Fortunately, Senator Sanders was not present during the event. The Burlington Fire Department responded to a morning call on Friday, discovering the fire between the vestibule, elevator, and entrance door to Senator Sanders’s third-floor office, resulting in moderate damage to the door and significant water damage to the third floor. As a precaution, both Senator Sanders’s office and neighboring offices were evacuated.