Louisiana man allegedly set fire to government building

Officials with the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office didn't have to wait long to locate a man accused of driving to Jeanerette City Hall with an alleged timed explosive device.

In a press release yesterday, officials asked the public for help in locating 44-year-old Eugene Desmond, who is alleged to have set fire to a public building.

According to the scenario, Desmond rode his bike to City Hall and went to the part of the building where the mayor's office is located. He tried to get in, but his attempt was unsuccessful. When that didn't work, he came up with another plan.

At around 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, authorities said, he decided to use a delayed incendiary device and left it in the building. The device started a fire.

Fortunately, no one was injured when the fire broke out at Jeanerette City Hall and damage to the facility was minimal.

Officials say the man was taken into custody after his discovery. No one has explained what the motive for this incident might have been or why Desmond decided to place the device at City Hall. The investigation is ongoing.

If you know anything about the situation, you can call Jeanerette Police at 337-276-6323. You can also call the State Fire Marshal's Office tip line at 844-954-1221. You can also submit information about any case by visiting lasfm.org.

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