Man starts fire inside Romanian parliament

A man on Tuesday started a fire inside the visitors’ area at the entrance of Romania’s parliament, police said, adding they were still looking for the suspect.

Some 300 people had to be evacuated while the fire was extinguished, police said, adding that no one was hurt in the incident.

“Following a spontaneous conflict, a male visitor threw a flammable substance,” police said.

Romanian police spokesman Octavian Dan told reporters that the man didn’t throw the substance at people, but at objects in the area.

Police did not provide further details about the conflict that preceded the fire. It was also not immediately clear how the man could get away following the incident.

Law enforcement released an image of the grey-haired suspect, wearing a chequered shirt and vest with a black backpack, taken inside the visitors’ area and asked the public to help identify him.

The man risks up to seven years in prison if prosecuted and convicted of setting the fire.