Arson attack suspected at Bernie Sanders’ Vermont office

A suspect is on the run after an arson attack at the Vermont office of Independent Senator Bernie Sanders.

A “significant fire” engulfed the door and part of the vestibule while staff were inside the Independent senator’s Burlington headquarters on Friday morning.

A man sprayed a possible accelerant on the office door, set the fire and fled, according to Vermont State Police. No one has been arrested and no motive established, authorities said.

Police released a photo from surveillance footage of the suspect wearing an orange beanie hat, white sneakers, black jacket, and dark pants.

“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,” Burlington police said in a statement. “The sprinkler system then engaged and largely extinguished the fire.”

Mr Sanders was not at the office during the attack.

The Burlington Fire Department reported that the fire broke out in an area between the vestibule, elevator, and entrance to Mr Sanders’s office on the building’s third floor.

Firefighters were called to the scene at about 10.45am on Friday. The building’s sprinkler system had put out most of the fire by the time of their arrival.

The door was moderately damaged, and large parts of the building suffered water damage. Mr Sanders’ office and others nearby were evacuated.

“We are grateful to the Burlington Fire and Police Departments who responded immediately today to a fire incident that took place in our office building,” Kathryn Van Haste, Vermont state director for Mr Sanders, said in a statement, according to The New York Times.

“We are relieved that no one on our staff and, to our understanding, no one in the