This story was updated at 5:49 p.m. to include more information from Salem police.
A woman was cited for arson Wednesday afternoon following a grass fire near the softball fields in Wallace Marine Park.
Witnesses reported sounds of propane tanks exploding in the area of some homeless camps in the north of the park, Salem police spokeswoman Angela Hedrick said. Firefighters responded around noon.
Police closed the park to allow firefighters to access the fire. It took firefighters about an hour to bring the fire under control, said Brian Carrara, deputy chief for the Salem Fire Department.
Hedrick said police arrested a 42-year-old woman based on witness descriptions. She was injured and transported to the hospital, Hedrick said. She did not have more information about the cause of the fire.
Firefighters have not reported any park property or structure damages, Carrara said. The department is still investigating.
Since the summer is an especially dry time of year for grass, the park closed as a safety precaution for those in the park and surrounding area, he said. The park reopened around 2 p.m.
Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].
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Madeleine Moore is working as a reporter at Salem Reporter through the University of Oregon’s Charles Snowden internship program. She came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
