Jerusalem’s City Hall caught on fire on Wednesday evening as a result of arson, Jerusalem Firefighters Department spokesperson Lihi Ben Lolo said.The blaze was put out later Wednesday night.
השריפה בעיריית ירושלים: האש פרצה בקומה אפס, לא ידוע על לכודים לפי שעה @SuleimanMas1 pic.twitter.com/sS3g5jRVU5
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) April 22, 2020
The fire began in the main building of the complex, forcing various committees to end their work to leave. Those who work at the office of Mayor Moshe Lion were also evacuated.
The Jerusalem City Hall spokesperson said that once the fire was detected emergency procedures were activated and police and firefighters were called to the scene.
Eight teams of firefighters worked to put out the fire and searched for anyone who might be trapped in the building. No casualties were reported.
Police arrested a 40-year-old man for allegedly starting the fire. The man is reportedly a resident of east Jerusalem.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Lion's bodyguard was the one who caught the alleged arsonist.
Molotov cocktails were allegedly found at the scene, according to a KAN News report citing a city hall official.