Man suspected of setting Chinese consulate on fire identified
Authorities on Monday identified a man suspected of setting the Chinese consulate in San Francisco on fire as a Chinese immigrant from nearby Daly City.
FBI officials said Yan Feng, 39, a permanent U.S. resident, surrendered to Daly City police two days after he allegedly walked up to the front of the consulate in downtown San Francisco, poured a flammable liquid on the doors and set them aflame on New Year’s Day.
In a statement after the incident, Chinese consulate officials said video showed a man carrying two canisters walking up to the doors from a parked van and setting the building on fire. He then calmly returned to the van and left.
The fire was extinguished within minutes and severely damaged the front of the building but did not injure anyone inside.
FBI officials said the fire appeared to be an isolated incident and was not being treated as a terrorist attack. Authorities charged Feng on Monday with maliciously trying to damage a building used in commerce with fire and trying to destroy U.S. or foreign property.
The same consulate was hit with an incendiary device in 2008 leading up to the Beijing Olympics, police officials said.
State Department officials said there did not appear to be any threats against the consulate leading up to the fire.
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