Juvenile plunges 50 feet down decommissioned missile silo in Colorado. See the rescue
A juvenile was exploring a decommissioned nuclear missile facility in Colorado when he fell 50 feet into a silo, rescuers said.
The silo was an exhaust vent tunnel at the Titan Missile Facility on private land in Watkins, east of the Aurora Reservoir, Sable Altura Fire Rescue posted Jan. 1 on Facebook. A missile silo is the underground chamber where a guided missile is kept.
Rescuers constructed a rope system and two of them lowered into the exhaust vent tunnel to check out the individual’s injuries, then they attached him to a harness to lift him out, officials said.
Rescuers didn’t provide information on the condition of the juvenile or their age. He was just described as a “young male.”
About four feet of water was at the bottom of the vent and “covered pieces of metal and debris,” CBS News Colorado reported and photos show.
Photos also show the rescue effort, which spanned three rescue agencies that “allowed (the) rescue to be completed VERY rapidly,” officials said.
“A reminder…the military history on the eastern plains of Colorado is better left to the history books,” officials said. “PLEASE do not think for any moment that these are safe environments to enter or explore.”
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said one adult and two juveniles would face charges for trespassing, according to CBS News Colorado.
Watkins is about a 25-mile drive east from Denver.
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