5th suspicious fire reported in Josephine County

Merlin, Ore.- Rural Metro Fire Department responded Thursday morning to the 5th suspicious fire in recent days.

Firefighters responded to a car fire and the sound of explosions just after 2 a.m. in the 3000 block of Camp Joy Road. When they arrived, they found an abandoned four door sedan fully engulfed in flames.

The vehicle was parked in a driveway, but was far enough away from any structures that it didn’t pose a threat. Firefighters found remnants of the airbag up to 50 feet away from the car, which was the likely cause of the explosions.

According to a press release, the car did not belong to the occupants of the home. Investigators are looking into whether it was reported stolen prior to the fire.

Several other suspicious vehicle fires have been reported within miles of each other in the last week.

Due to the suspicious nature of the fires, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office is assisting in the investigation.