Pueblo police arrested three young adults who were attempting to steal metal but instead contributed to the collapse of a long-abandoned warehouse Wednesday morning.
Police said witnesses reported seeing vehicles leaving the property at 2600 Dillion Drive shortly after the collapse. They also reported hearing screams after the two-story building fell in a cloud of dust at about 8:25 a.m., said Woody Percival, Pueblo Fire Department spokesman.
Firefighters used a thermal-imaging camera to search for injured people, but determined no one was trapped.
The building has been victimized by “scrappers” who peel off steel from the building for recycling, Percival said.
After investigation, police found that at least four people were in the building, stripping metal, when the structure fell.
Three of the four adults were arrested and booked for criminal mischief and attempted theft, according to Deputy Chief Andrew McLachlan.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
