Environment

Fire Attempt at Leiden City Office, Suspect Arrested

An attempted arson attack at the Leiden city office on Monday morning led to the office being closed for the day. Due to the heavy smoke, the office in the Level building on Bargelaan near Leiden Central Station had to be evacuated. No injuries were reported.

Suspect Arrested and Investigation Underway
Emergency responders were called to the scene at 8:26 a.m. Firefighters confirmed that the suspect poured a flammable liquid on computers and monitors and set them afire. The man has been arrested, and they suspect that it has something to do with something strange, the police say.

Effects on Employees and City Services
The men and women who work for the city were shaken by the incident. Smoke and soot damaged dozens of desks so that they could not be used. The victims and staff concerned have been offered victim support by the municipality. Any appointments that had to be cancelled will be rebooked as quickly as possible, the university said in a statement. Some of those services were restored later in the day, but normal operations could not immediately be resumed.