AUSTIN – Federal investigators will scour the charred remains of the Texas Governor's Mansion today for more clues after an apparent arsonist nearly demolished the 152-year-old home for heads of state ranging from Sam Houston to George W. Bush.

There's no indication that the catastrophic blaze – which ravaged the elegant white mansion, cratered its roof and covered its signature columns with thick soot early Sunday – was intended to target Gov. Rick Perry or first lady Anita Perry.

The mansion was undergoing extensive renovations, including installation of a fire sprinkler system. The Perrys were living elsewhere, and the mansion's valuable art and antiques were in storage.

State authorities say they found clear evidence that the fire was set, raising questions about the alertness of the mansion's round-the-clock security detail.

So far, there have been no arrests, and the state fire marshal is asking the public for help identifying potential suspects.

The Governor's Office, ATF agents and the State Fire Marshal's Office held a news conference Monday morning and said they haven't been able to go inside the mansion yet to look for additional physical evidence. But they say they have gone through dozens of hours of videotape from the security cameras on the scene and from surrounding buildings. The tapes show there was one person at the mansion when the fire was intentionally set, but they're not sure if more people were involved.

They didn't say if they would be able to identify that person on the tape. Anyone with information was asked to call 1-877-434-7345.

While a national response unit from the U.S. Department of Justice hits the ground Monday, heartbroken state preservationists are gathering their own forces, fearful the Greek Revival home will be further damaged in the criminal investigation.

"This is something we couldn't possibly afford to lose," said Larry Oaks, executive director of the Texas Historical Commission. "It is badly damaged, and we've lost a lot of original fabric. But unless there's something I really can't see, I would be very surprised if it's not restorable."

The governor and Mrs. Perry, who have lived in an Austin-area rental home since the mansion's renovations began, are traveling in Europe and return Tuesday to Texas.

AP

The front porch of the historic Texas Governor's Mansion is shown early Sunday, June 8, 2008, in Austin, Texas, after a fire swept through it earlier in the morning. The fire left much of the 150-year-old home charred and inflicted damage that state officials described as "bordering on catastrophic." No one was inside at the time and the cause of the blaze is unknown. The mansion had been undergoing a $10 million renovation.

The Governor's Mansion "has not only been our home for the past eight years, but has stood as a symbol of Texas pride throughout its history," they said in a statement. "We hope that this remarkable building, which has served as the home for our family and other Texas governors for the last 150 years, can be saved and restored."

Department of Public Safety security officers at the mansion were alerted to the fire just before 2 a.m. Sunday by a tripped smoke alarm.

By the time firetrucks arrived, the blaze that apparently started by the front door had swept the house and traveled all the way into the attic. The large trees surrounding the two-story mansion in downtown Austin made it difficult for firefighters to position their equipment. It took 100 firefighters and several hours to put the fire out, department spokeswoman Dawn Clopton said.

No one was injured in the four-alarm blaze, which sent orange flames billowing from the front door and second-story terrace and gutted the pristine white building.

By midmorning, firefighters armed with axes, hoses and whirring chain saws scaled the house and broke through windows to put out remaining hot spots. A smoldering stench wafted for blocks, and onlookers gathered to watch.

Nancy Oelz, whose great-great-grandfather Elisha Pease was the state's fifth governor and the first inhabitant of the Texas Governor's Mansion, happened to be in Austin visiting relatives on Sunday, and stood outside the mansion snapping pictures.

"It's sad for the whole state. It's a part of all of our history," said Ms. Oelz, who lives in Colorado. "It was a beautiful building, built by a master builder. Any time something like this is destroyed, it's really awful."

Fears that the roof would collapse stymied efforts to determine the cause of the blaze.

But State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado said early evidence – including interviews with security personnel, bystanders and some downtown residents – indicated "there was somebody here to potentially set the fire." He declined to give more specifics.

A state official close to the criminal investigation said a review of the building's surveillance cameras bolstered the belief that the blaze was intentionally set.

DPS would not reveal the number of security personnel at the Governor's Mansion when the fire broke out, or who was monitoring the surveillance cameras. A spokeswoman said it's the agency's policy not to discuss its security measures.

"You're always vulnerable when you're doing a rehabilitation," said Mr. Oaks of the Historical Commission. "What surprises me most is that there are all kinds of security systems, so many guards on it 24 hours a day."

State officials were unable to estimate the structure's financial loss on Sunday.

But they were relieved that all the artwork, furniture and historical artifacts had been removed for the renovations, which included extensive asbestos removal and replacing almost all the plumbing. The work began last September.

ANGEL GRANADOS / Special to DMN

Austin firefighter Brian Janek (right) and others fight a fire early Sunday morning at the Governor's Mansion in Austin.

Mr. Oaks said he's helped restore buildings as historic and as badly damaged as this one – the oldest continually occupied Governor's Mansion west of the Mississippi. The 9,500-square-foot mansion, with its row of 29-foot Ionic columns, was designed by architect Abner Cook.

But he said there's always a fear that, in the course of a criminal investigation, more damage could be done.

At the preservationists' request, the fire department took quick action to pump water out of the mansion's basement, for fear it would weaken the foundation.

And Mr. Oaks said investigators have agreed not to move building materials – including broken column pieces that fell to the ground in the blaze – without a trained expert involved.

"There was some talk of having to remove the roof," he said. "What we're telling them is, don't touch anything until the engineer tells you it needs to be done."

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KVUE News staff contributed to this report