Postal service investigates collection box fire

A suspicious fire scorched about 10 pieces of mail sitting in a collection box on the corner of Hammond Avenue and North 21st Street last week.

The United States Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the incident.

The fire occurred before 10:30 a.m. Nov. 17. Some sort of incendiary device was dropped into the collection box at 2039 Hammond Ave., starting the items inside on fire. Several pieces of outgoing mail were destroyed.

“When the carrier picked it up, it was still smoldering,” said Postal Inspector Jeff Long. He said the suspect is most likely a juvenile who placed something small, like fireworks, in the box.

Mail that postal service employees were able to identify was returned to the senders with a note explaining the incident. If anyone used that collection box earlier that day and their mail hasn’t shown up, Long said, they should call the Superior Post Office at (715) 394-7209, to let them know.

Anyone with information about who is responsible for the fire can call the United States Postal Inspector Barry Bouchie at (612) 349-4726.

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