Attempt to set Leiden civil servant desks on fire forces evacuation; Suspect held
A man was arrested Monday morning after setting fire to computers and monitors at the Leiden city office in the Level building on Bargelaan, located next to Leiden Central Station. No one was injured, but smoke forced a temporary evacuation and partial disruption of municipal services.
Firefighters responded to the scene at 8:26 a.m. A fire department spokesperson said, “A man poured flammable liquid over the computers and monitors and ignited it.” Police are investigating the incident and have said that “it may involve a person with unexplained behavior.”
The incident shook municipal employees present in the office. “Due to smoke and soot damage, the workstations are unusable. And the colleagues from the municipality were very shocked,” the fire department spokesperson said, according to Omroep West.
The municipality confirmed it has arranged support for the affected staff, including victim assistance services. “Appointments that must be canceled will be rescheduled as quickly as possible,” said a municipal spokesperson. Some city services resumed later Monday, but not all could be fully restored.
