Bomb-squad robot removes decades-old dynamite from private property near Trinidad

Douglas County deputies deployed their new bomb‑removal robot, Johnny 5-0, to recover aging sticks of dynamite from inside a residential shed and carry the material to a secure blast pit for controlled disposal, the agency said in a social post on X. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office described placing the suspected dynamite into a pre‑dug blast pit, counter‑charging it, and initiating an emergency disposal that produced a controlled detonation and "complete deflagration of the suspected dynamite, rendering it safe."

The DCSO post included the agency's safety reasoning and instructions. "Because dynamite can become extremely unstable with age, our Bomb Squad deployed Johnny 5-0, the bomb robot, to safely remove the device," the department wrote on X. The post also urged the public to follow safety procedures: "If you come across old explosives, dynamite, or suspicious devices — DO NOT TOUCH them and to call the DCSO Bomb Squad immediately."

Available accounts provide differing location and agency details. One regional account dated March 4, 2026 named the Pueblo Metro Bomb Squad, part of the South Region Response Team, saying members established a safety perimeter of roughly 350 (units unspecified) after discovering aging sticks of dynamite on private property outside Trinidad. That same account did not complete the perimeter unit in its text. The Douglas County account places the incident inside a shed on a Douglas County residential property and identifies Johnny 5-0 as the robot used.

Douglas County deputies said the dynamite was stored inside a metal container typically used on construction sites and that the container had belonged to a former resident who owned a construction company. The agency reported that Johnny 5-0 moved the container to a safe distance and the team then relocated the explosives to the pre‑dug blast pit where technicians counter‑charged and conducted the emergency disposal.

Neither account supplied a detailed count of individual sticks, brand markings, or the precise measurement units for the safety perimeter. No injuries, evacuations, property damage, or criminal charges were reported in the available statements. The differing agency attributions and geographic descriptions point to a need for clarified dispatch and incident logs to establish whether these reports describe the same event or separate responses.

Local public‑safety officials emphasize that unstable, decades‑old explosives pose a risk and that bomb squads are trained and equipped to make disposals safe. The DCSO description of the operation on X provides a technical outline of the steps taken - secure transport, placement in a blast pit, counter‑charge, controlled detonation and complete deflagration - and serves as the primary explanation for how deputies rendered the material safe.