The Bay County Governmental Center on 11th Street is closed until 10 a.m. after a man crashed his truck into the building, flames burst out and he was found dead inside the vehicle early this morning.

PANAMA CITY — An unidentified man was found dead inside a burning truck after it crashed into a Bay County government building Thursday morning in what officials believe was a suicide.

The Bay County Governmental Center, 840 W. 11th St., was briefly closed Thursday after a truck crashed into the building about 5:15 a.m. and caught fire. After extinguishing the blaze, officers found a man, who has not been identified, inside the vehicle. No one else was injured, the Panama City Police Department (PCPD) reported.

PCPD Capt. Paul Powell, with the investigations division, said because of the nature of the case, officials would not be releasing the man’s name, saying only that he was local. Powell said investigators do not believe the attack was aimed at government officials, and no other individuals are being sought in connection.

“It’s a sad situation, but there is nothing directed at any local government official or building official or anybody in local government,” he said. “There is nothing directed (toward) local government. This is not a terrorist act. It’s not an act directed (toward) a person.”

It was unclear why the incident took place at the government center. Powell also could not say whether the man set the fire or the truck caught on fire from the crash.

“What started the fire, I don’t know,” he said, “But as he crashed into the building, there was a fireball, but we’re not sure.”

Crime scene tape cordoned off a charred, chemical blotch outside the Builders Services Division about 10 a.m., as a government employee power-washed the blackened tiles and people went about their regular business. The Builders Services Division had only minor damage, as fire crews extinguished the blaze before it could spread to the building.

PCPD policy dictates that officers do not discuss suicide investigations. However, Congressman Neal Dunn released a statement on the incident later in the day, denouncing the man’s actions as an attack.

“It is a sad day to witness someone so troubled take such an action and, ultimately, their own life,” Dunn said in the release. “There is still much unknown about this person’s motivations, and the reason for his attack on this public building, but we should all remember that no matter how inflamed our passions, violence is never the answer.”

Dunn maintains a district office in the Government Center, and the congressional staff who are based there were safe.

PCPD reported its investigation is continuing, and the state fire marshal also is investigating the blaze.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

An earlier version of this story appears below.

Body found inside crashed, burned truck at government center

The Bay County Governmental Center on 11th Street is closed until 10 a.m. after a man crashed his truck into the building, flames burst out and he was found dead inside the vehicle early this morning.

Paul Powell, a spokesman for the Panama City Police Department, said they are not releasing the man’s name at this time.

He said police do not believe the attack was aimed at government officials.

“I can say that there is nothing directed at any local government official or building official or anybody in local goverment,” he said. “There is nothing directed towards local government. This is not a terrorist act. It’s not an act directed towards a person.”

He could not say whether the man set the fire or the truck caught on fire from the crash.

“What started the fire, I don’t know. But as he crashed into the building. There was a fireball, but we’re not sure.”

The builder’s service’s division had only minor damage.

Congressman Neal Dunn released a statement on the incident.

“It is a sad day to witness someone so troubled take such an action and, ultimately, their own life,” Dunn said in the release. “There is still much unknown about this person’s motivations, and the reason for his attack on this public building, but we should all remember that no matter how inflamed our passions, violence is never the answer.”

No workers or other visitors were injured in the incident, the statement said. Dunn maintains a district office in the Government Center, and the congressional staff who are based there are safe.