Ballot boxes set on fire in Oregon, Washington; hundreds of ballots destroyed

Authorities successful Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, said they've opened investigations aft 2 ballot boxes went up successful flames early Monday morning.

In Portland, an incendiary instrumentality was placed wrong nan ballot container and utilized to group it connected fire, nan Portland Police Bureau said successful a statement. Police said a suspicious instrumentality was recovered adjacent to nan ballot container successful Vancouver, which is conscionable complete nan authorities statement and astir 20 minutes from Portland by car.

Officers successful Portland responded to reports of a ballot container connected occurrence astatine astir 3:30 a.m. Pacific time, according to nan constabulary bureau. The mailbox, wherever voters tin formed their ballots successful nan upcoming election, was located successful southeastern Portland adjacent nan Multnomah County Elections Division office, according to CBS affiliate KOIN-TV. 

When officers arrived, nan occurrence had already been extinguished by information guards who activity successful nan area. Officers discovered an incendiary instrumentality wrong nan ballot box, which they wished had been utilized to ignite nan blaze. The explosive squad was called to nan segment and cleared nan device, according to police.

The Portland Fire Investigations Unit is partnering pinch nan constabulary bureau to analyse nan incident. 

"The collaboration leverages nan specialized training and skills needed to analyse fires, including study instrumentality and accelerant detecting dogs," nan constabulary connection read.

Authorities person asked anyone pinch accusation astir nan ballot container occurrence successful Portland to interaction Detective Meredith Hopper astatine nan constabulary bureau, aliases study tips done nan occurrence investigation unit's dedicated line.

The ballot container successful Vancouver caught occurrence soon aft nan 1 successful Portland. Vancouver constabulary said they responded astir 4 a.m. to reports of a ballot container connected occurrence successful nan area of nan Fisher's Landing Transit Center.

ABC affiliate KATU-TV published respective images that showed heavy fume rising from nan ballot box, successful summation to burning ballots emptied retired onto nan sidewalk.

Vancouver constabulary said they extinguished nan occurrence and members of nan city's Metro Explosive Disposal Unit "safely collected nan device." The FBI is investigating.

"The FBI is coordinating pinch federal, authorities and section partners to actively analyse nan 2 incidents successful Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, successful nan early greeting hours of Monday, October 28th to find who is responsible," nan agency said successful a connection to CBS News.

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey told The Associated Press nan ballot container astatine Fisher's Landing had a occurrence suppression strategy wrong of it, but for immoderate logic nan strategy was not effective. Kimsey said hundreds of ballots were destroyed by nan fire, nan AP reported.

It was astatine slightest nan 2nd clip successful October that Vancouver authorities addressed an incident for illustration this. Earlier successful nan month, nan city's Metro Explosive Disposal Unit destroyed different suspicious instrumentality recovered adjacent a ballot container early 1 morning, KOIN-TV reported astatine nan time. Police said nan ballot container successful that lawsuit was not compromised and nary 1 was injured, according to nan station.

In:
• Oregon
• Election
• Washington
• Portland