Police are STILL hunting for ‘callous’ arsonist suspected of firebombing a government building and lawyers’ office – as damage to Gosford’s CBD is revealed

A suspected arsonist remains at large almost 24 hours after allegedly firebombing a government building and a law firm in broad daylight in a ‘callous and brazen attack’, as the police make an urgent appeal for help from the public.

Police are still conducting a major manhunt after a Legal Aid building and a lawyers’ offices were hit in an arson attack in Gosford on the NSW Central Coast. 

Incredibly, no one was seriously hurt in the incident, which sparked a mass evacuation and locked down the city’s CBD just before 2.30pm on Tuesday. 

‘This is a callous and brazen attack the way it’s been executed,’ Superintendent Darryl Jobson, Brisbane Water Police District Commander, told reporters on Friday.

‘This is an incident where there could have been an entirely different outcome, taking into consideration the circumstances and thankfully no one was seriously injured and there were no deaths on this occasion.’

Emergency services were initially called to the Legal Aid building on Donnison Street at about 2.20pm on Thursday following reports of explosions. 

A short time later, police were called to the Kensmen building on the same street following reports of a fire and of smoke coming out of the third floor.

Superintendent Dobson said the suspected arsonist ‘ignited an improvised explosive device which I would describe as a small, domestic LPG (liquified petroleum gas) cylinder which caused a fire’.

‘The male has then left that location and it would appear that he has found or got another bag from another location that we are not aware of,’ he added.

The suspect then transported that ‘canvas bag on wheels’ to the Kensmen building, around 250metres up the road.

The man took a lift to level three where he allegedly ignited another firebomb outside the offices of Conditsis Lawyers.

Mr Dobson said detectives were not aware whether the man left the second building on foot or in a vehicle.

‘Motive is something that we are very interested in,’ he said on Friday. 

It’s obviously that there is a reason why the man went to both locations and we are keen to ascertain what the reason is.’

Conditsis Lawyers director Michael Mantaj was one of those evacuated from the Legal Aid building where the explosions were reported.

‘I didn’t see the guy but someone threw an incendiary device. All staff are accounted for. Fortunately no-one was injured,’ he told the ABC.

Dramatic footage taken shortly after 8pm on Thursday showed around two dozen detectives and balaclava-clad riot cops descending on an apartment building on Baker Street, 100metres from the Legal Aid building. 

Police have released a CCTV image of a man they wished to speak to who was seen in the area at the time of the incident.

The grainy picture shows a white-haired man wearing a surgical mask, dull green cap and T-shirt and jeans with a bag sitting by his feet.

Police said they were following a tip off and did not identify anyone of interest in the building.

Fresh pictures taken on Friday morning show the extensive damage to the lawyers’ offices, which remain closed to staff as investigations continue. 

It appears the blaze destroyed a door and a wall and left scorch marks on the carpet just metres from the government building’s public seating area.