Local News
Ballot box is on fire in Vancouver, WA near Portland
By the time officers arrived, security guards had already extinguished the flames.
Police in Oregon and Washington are investigating incidents involving ballot boxes that were intentionally set on fire.
On Monday morning, Portland Police Bureau officers responded to a reported fire at a ballot drop box on the 1000 block of Southeast Morrison Street.
By the time officers arrived, security guards had already extinguished the flames.
Authorities indicated that the fire was started with an incendiary device placed inside the ballot box. Portland’s Explosive Disposal Unit was called to the scene to assess and safely clear the device.
Meanwhile, police in Vancouver, Washington, are investigating a similar incident that took place on Monday morning at the C-TRAN Park & Ride at Fisher’s Landing Transit Center.
According to witnesses, a device placed outside the ballot box ignited the fire, causing hundreds of ballots to burn.
Officials noted that the last ballot collection from this box was at 11 a.m. on Saturday, suggesting the fire had affected a significant amount of uncollected ballots.
These incidents follow a similar case in Arizona last week, where a fire broke out just before 1:30 a.m. on October 24 outside a post office near 7th Avenue and Indian School Road.
Phoenix Fire crews arrived on the scene and quickly extinguished the flames, though the fire damaged twenty electoral ballots along with other pieces of mail.
Phoenix Fire Captain Rob McDade reported that the Postal Inspector took possession of the damaged ballots and mail.
The Phoenix Fire Investigations Task Force, which includes Phoenix Police detectives and fire investigators, is working closely with U.S. Postal Inspectors to investigate the cause and intent behind the incident.
Local News
Multi-Vehicle Collision with Rollover Involving School Bus in Waltham
The severity of the driver’s injuries has not yet been disclosed.
WALTHAM, MA – At least one person sustained injuries following a collision between a school bus and an elderly transportation van in Waltham, Massachusetts, on Friday morning.
The crash occurred around 8:45 a.m., according to Waltham Police. Emergency crews responded to the scene, where they found a yellow Eastern Bus Company school bus alongside a white REM Services van that had rolled onto its side.
The van’s front windshield was shattered, and significant damage was visible.
It remains unclear if any students were on board at the time of the collision or if injuries were sustained by those on the bus.
The van, operated by a company providing transportation for elderly and mobility-impaired individuals in Greater Boston, had only the driver on board. The driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The severity of the driver’s injuries has not yet been disclosed.
REM Services confirmed their involvement in the incident and stated that no passengers were present in their vehicle at the time.
Authorities have not yet released additional information about the circumstances leading to the collision or the condition of those involved.
Waltham Police and other first responders are actively investigating the cause of the crash. Traffic in the area may be impacted as the scene is cleared and further analysis is conducted.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.