Restoration continues on Governor's Mansion four years after fire

by KVUE News

kvue.com

Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:31 PM

AUSTIN -- Friday marks four years since an arsonist heavily damaged the Texas Governor's Mansion.

The blaze in the early morning of June 8, 2008, raised questions about security. Only one trooper was on duty and was not watching any of the security cameras.

An investigation found that seven of the mansion's 20 cameras were broken, and that motion detectors did not work.

In Feb. 2011, surveillance video was released. It shows a lighter flash just before a shadowy figure throws a Molotov cocktail onto the front porch.

Today the mansion remains surrounded by green security fences as restoration work continues. It's expected to cost more than $24 million, and there's no word when it will be completed.

The man believed to have thrown the Molotov cocktail is described as white, 5'10" tall, weighing 175 to 185 pounds, and he has a medium build. His age was not released. KVUE is told he is a Texas resident.

While the mansion is being repaired, Governor Perry's been living in a home in Westlake that costs taxpayers $10,000 a month.

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Restoration continues on Governor's Mansion four years after fire