Images: Young individual saved following a 40-foot fall into missile silo in Arapahoe County

DENVER (KDVR) A juvenile was rescued from a missile silo Wednesday afternoon in Arapahoe County, according to first responders.

Sable Altura Fire Rescue reported that the juvenile, a male, fell about 40 to 50 feet into what rescue workers determined was an exhaust vent tunnel for a decommissioned Titan Missile Facility. The boy was transported non-emergently with unknown injuries to a local hospital. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said the call came into the agency at about 3:50 p.m.

Two rescue workers from Sable Altura Fire Rescue entered the silo after they built a rope system, and were able to evaluate the juvenile inside the silo. The silo is located off East Quincy Avenue south of Watkins.

After attaching a harness to the boy, Bennett-Watkins and Sable Altura crews, assisted by South Metro Fire Rescue, helped bring the victim and rescue team to the surface.

As of 5:30 p.m., the scene was largely cleared. Sable Altura Fire Rescue said the trio of agencies have a “fantastic” command structure that allowed crews to complete the rescue rapidly. However, Sable Altura had a message for anyone hoping to also explore abandoned missile silos.

“(T)he military history on the eastern plains of Colorado, is better left to the history books,” the agency wrote on Facebook. “Please do not think for any moment, that these are safe environments to enter or explore.”

In early May 2024, several teens were rescued from an abandoned missile silo, also in Arapahoe County. One of the teens was in critical condition after falling 30 feet into the silo.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, there are six former Titan I missile complexes in Colorado and all are east of Aurora although some are more remote than others, as some are located north of Deer Trail and one is located south of Elizabeth.

CDPHE said the complexes were decommissioned and all missiles removed in 1965.