An unknown person started a fire in the Romanian Parliament building. The incident occurred today, September 17, around noon.
According to preliminary information, an unknown person, “as a result of a spontaneous conflict,” set fire to a souvenir shop located on the second floor of the Legislative Assembly in the visitors’ area.
Around 300 people were evacuated from the building. There were no injuries; one employee suffered a panic attack. Police are searching for an arsonist caught on CCTV. The Interior Ministry is asking anyone who sees him not to approach him but to report it to the authorities.
“The destruction or rendering useless of an object, committed by means of arson, explosion or other similar means and if it may endanger other persons or property, is punishable by imprisonment from 2 to 7 years.” – the police recalled.
They said that during the first inspections it was established that after a spontaneous conflict, a male visitor allegedly threw a flammable substance. Representatives of the Emergency Situations Inspection (ISU) confirmed that as a result of the fire, clothes and office equipment were burned.
“The fire broke out in the 30-square-metre visitor area. Textiles and office supplies were burnt. No one was injured as a result of the incident. Firefighters from the Palace of Parliament intervened. The fire has now been extinguished.” – DAA reports.
deputy Filip Harvaneanuwho witnessed the incident said the man who started the fire also doused several people with gasoline.
“We are in front of the parliament, there was an attack, a man came with petrol and hit several people. This also happened in several places, causing three fires. You see, the fire brigade arrived, the police arrived. We saw smoke coming, we tried to remove the fence, but we saw that the fire had started on the other side, here, on the side of the exhibition. We hope that everyone is healthy and that whoever did this is caught as soon as possible.” – added the parliamentarian.
