Ballot drop box fire in LA may have been arson according to officials

[Dwarvenhobble]

Ballot box fire in Baldwin Park may be arson, officials say

The fire started around 8 p.m. Sunday inside an official drop box at the Baldwin Park library near Ramona and Baldwin Park boulevards.

www.latimes.com

George Silva was out for a leisurely bike ride when he first spotted the plume of smoke. It was just after 8 p.m. Sunday, and a ballot box near Ramona and Baldwin Park boulevards was ablaze.

“Who would do this?” Silva can be heard saying during the filming (Warning: Video contains profanity). “Who would have an agenda to screw up an election? Their votes are gone. ... All those voices aren’t going to get heard.”

As he filmed, firefighters did everything they could to access the flames inside the tightly sealed metal box, including snaking a hose through the drop slot and, later, cutting the whole thing open with a power saw.

It was not immediately clear how the fire began, but Los Angeles County Fire Department spokeswoman Leslie Lua said arson is being investigated as a possible cause. If confirmed, she said, it would be the first instance of ballot box arson in the county.

Voters who suspect their ballot may have been damaged in the Baldwin Park blaze are being encouraged to check the county’s official ballot tracker for status updates or call (562) 503-2445 for assistance. The damaged drop box location has been closed indefinitely.