Evacuation ended, items removed from yard by Eric Mullens WALSENBURG — Pueblo Police officers and local officials identified and removed some potentially hazardous items from the backyard at 209 E. 9th St. early Thurs., afternoon Oct 23. A box that had been with other materials taken from a home undergoing cleaning at 4th and Russell Street by Walsenburg resident Frank Gilbert was found to contain items believed to be railroad torpedos. Gilbert notified police and firefighters who responded to the 9th Street location during the noon hour. The items were removed for destruction at a location in Pueblo and the evacuation of the four homes in the 200 block of E. 9th, and the Spanish Peaks Mental Health facility, was lifted. After the items were removed, the investigators shifted their focus to the home and outbuildings at the residence on 4th and Russell to ensure no more dangerous items were at that location. There were no injuries during the incident. WPD Captain Vince Suarez, the department’s media spokesperson said he would have a press release concerning the incident later this afternoon. At this time there has not been official confirmation the items in the cardboard box were railroad torpedos. A railway detonator (torpedo) is a small coin-size device that is used to make a loud sound as a warning signal to train drivers. It is placed on the top of the rail, usually secured with two lead straps, one on each side. Typical uses of detonators include: a warning, caution or stop signal in dense fog, when signals are difficult to see; a warning of a train stopped on the line ahead by an incident or accident — the train crew are usually responsible for placing the detonators; a warning of ongoing engineering works ahead; or when a signaller or other railway employee requires to stop approaching trains in an emergency or to alert crews working on the rails if a silent, runaway train or train carriage is approaching. As with all explosives, detonators can become unstable after a period of time and must therefore be replaced regularly. They are triggered by pressure rather than impact. This makes them safe during transport, as they normally cannot detonate in a bag or storage container. Photo one shows Walsenburg Police and Pueblo Police and Frank Gilbert ( in red ball cap) in the backyard at 209 E. 9th just before the small cardboard was removed. Photo two shows WPD Sgt. John Salazar and Gilbert looking into a shed at the 4th and Russell location where the box of items originated.
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 20:15:39 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015