'Incendiary device' sparks fire at Portland, Oregon ballot box

An "incendiary device" placed wrong a ballot container sparked a occurrence aboriginal Monday successful Portland, Oregon, constabulary say. 

The Portland Police Bureau said officers responded "to reports of a occurrence astatine a ballot container successful the 1000 artifact of Southeast Morrison Street" astir 3:30 a.m. section time. 

"By the clip officers arrived, the occurrence had already been extinguished by information unit who enactment successful the area. Officers determined an incendiary instrumentality was placed wrong the ballot box and utilized to ignite the fire," constabulary said successful a statement. "PPB’s Explosive Disposal Unit responded to the country and cleared the device." 

It is unclear if immoderate ballots were damaged successful the fire. A detective investigating the lawsuit did not instantly respond Monday to a petition for remark from Fox News Digital. 

ARIZONA ELECTION BALLOTS DAMAGED AFTER USPS MAILBOX LIT ON FIRE, SUSPECT ARRESTED 

A ballot container is seen damaged successful Portland, Oregon, connected Monday, Oct. 28 pursuing a fire, constabulary say. (Portland Police Bureau)

"The Portland Fire Investigations Unit besides responded to the country to investigate. This portion is comprised of occurrence investigators with Portland Fire & Rescue, who are sworn instrumentality enforcement officers, and a detective with the Portland Police Bureau," constabulary added. "The collaboration leverages the specialized grooming and skills needed to analyse fires, including investigation instrumentality and accelerant detecting dogs." 

Police are describing the incidental arsenic an "arson case." 

MILLIONS OF VOTERS HAVE ALREADY CAST BALLOTS FOR NOV. 5 ELECTION 

Voters formed their ballots astatine authoritative ballot boxes connected Nov. 8 2022 successful Portland, Oregon. (Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images)

It happened conscionable days aft astir 20 mail-in ballots were damaged erstwhile a U.S. Postal Service mailbox was lit connected occurrence in Phoenix.

Dieter Klofkorn, 35, has since been arrested connected 1 felony number of Arson to Property. 

"Klofkorn stated that helium committed the arson due to the fact that helium wanted to beryllium arrested and that his actions were not politically motivated and not related to thing involving the upcoming election," the Phoenix Police Department said successful a connection describing the incidental past Thursday. 

Dieter Klofkorn has been arrested aft galore ballots were burned during a mailbox occurrence successful Phoenix, officials say. (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office/Fox10 Phoenix)

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Images taken from the country of that incidental showed a charred mailbox extracurricular a U.S. Post Office successful Arizona’s superior city.