Police working to identify a body found in a downtown St. Paul cave
SAINT PAUL — A grisly discovery in a cave beneath the Capital City has firefighters warning against a dangerous activity.
The medical examiner's office is working to identify a body that was found in a cave near the St. Paul RiverCentre. Friday, WCCO learned from fire crews that it appears the person who died was down in the cave for a long period of time. They say urban explorers spotted the body Wednesday and called 911.
The cave is tucked underneath Kellogg Boulevard near the intersection of Exchange Street South and Eagle Street, presenting several dangerous challenges.
"You've got road traffic going by all the time. Vibrations cause shifts and so structures can become unstable," said Deputy Chief Roy Mokosso.
The body was at the bottom of a 30-foot shaft. The width of the shaft was so small that the firefighter who went down had to remove gear he was wearing in order to fit.
"The ground was at a slope… and it was sand. So, a tripod wasn't an option," said Captain Sam Breckenridge when he explained the support structure needed to lower a crew member.
A firetruck ladder had to be extended toward the cave's opening allowing the team to rappel down and retrieve the body. Prior to entering, the air was checked for toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and deemed safe to enter.
RELATED: Urban explorers find human remains in downtown St. Paul cave
Of all the hidden dangers in the caves, it's the air that might be the most concerning. There are often low levels of oxygen and at times high levels of carbon monoxide. That odorless gas is what killed three other teenagers exploring caves in 2004.
Deputy Chief Mokosso said the Advanced Technical Rescue Team responds to dozens of calls related to the caves each year. Most happen in the summer months. When winter arrives, the concern is people will use the caves for shelter. Sometimes they light fires which then creates the carbon monoxide threat. The team trains daily at the fire department's headquarters. The building is outfitted with a shaft that leads down to a small maze of tunnels. Lights can be turned on or off to simulate a cave experience.
Fire crews hope the recent case serves as a reminder of how exploring St. Paul's underworld can be dangerous. Investigators from Saint Paul Police and the medical examiner's office are working to find out why the person was in the cave and how they died.
"Hopefully by this recovery, it helps bring closure to that family or those friends that just had no idea where this individual was for a long period of time," Deputy Chief Mokosso said.