Fire Hits Laramie Police Evidence Storage

Fire struck a Laramie Police storage facility off of East Plaza Court Sunday evening, January 20th.

According to Laramie Police Commander Mitch Cushman, smoke in the are was reported between 4 and 5 o'clock, responders found that an out building behind the Laramie Police Department was on fire, and the fire department was dispatched to the scene.

At this time, Cmdr. Cushman says that they are treating the blaze as being non-criminal in nature.

The building was used for evidence storage and held approximately 12,000 pieces of police evidence, however Cmdr. Cushman says that no evidence was lost in the blaze.  The fire occurred, according to Cushman, in an area where items were supplies for Laramie's Special Response Team were stored.

Supplies of ammunition were lost in the blaze, which lead to rounds discharging due to the heat, however Cushman said that, while still dangerous, without the compression of a something like a gun barrel, the bullets did not travel far.  He compared them to an exploding firecracker.

Although no evidence was said to be lost, Cushman says that the building is currently useless for evidence storage, as the building can no longer be secured.  The Albany County Sheriff's Office has offered use of space in their evidence storage facilities to the Laramie Police Department for the time being.

"We would be in a world of hurt," says Cushman.  "If not for the help of the Albany County Sheriff's Office."

Cushman says that the challenge they face now is to make sure that each piece of evidence is logged as to who handled it and when it makes the move to the new facility.