Suspected arson at Bayer executive’s home being investigated by FBI: Sources

(MADISON, N.J.) -- The FBI is now involved in the investigation into a suspected arson earlier this month at the New Jersey home of a Bayer pharmaceutical executive, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

At approximately 7:30 a.m. on March 4, a fire was reported at an occupied, private residence in Madison, New Jersey, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

The Madison Fire Department was able to quickly extinguish the flames and the structure "sustained no significant damage and there were no reported injuries," according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

"The safety and security of our employees are of utmost importance to Bayer. The incident is under active investigation. We appreciate the quick response of local law enforcement," Bayer said in a statement.

There have been no arrests related to the incident, officials said.

Bayer's headquarters is located in nearby Hanover Township, New Jersey. The pharmaceutical company is known for products like Aleve and Alka-Seltzer.

The New York Police Department, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police and New Jersey Transit Police are also part of the investigation.

The FBI's Newark office declined to comment about its role in investigating the fire.

This suspected arson comes at a time of heightened concern in the health care industry following the December murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Individuals mobilized by economic grievances are taking Thompson's murder as inspiration for threats and attack plotting, expanding their target set to include government and public safety officials, according to a Homeland Security report obtained by ABC News.

"Within days of the late December murder of a health insurance CEO, we observed online threats targeting high-profile executives. In the past several weeks, some threats citing similar grievances and referencing the CEO's murder as inspiration are now targeting federal, state and local government officials," the document said.

A growing amount of Americans feel hostility toward prominent chief executives, with a 2023 Ipsos survey finding that more than two-thirds of Americans think the nation's economy is rigged to the advantage of the rich and powerful.

Similarly, a 2022 Pew survey found that only 1 in 4 adults believed large businesses have a positive effect on the way things are going in the country.
 

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