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Elizabeth Dunbar
St. Paul, Minn.

One hospitalized, two arrested when copper theft goes awry

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A 33-year-old St. Paul man was being treated at a hospital Wednesday for severe burns, and two other people were arrested after police in Eagan said the three tried to steal copper wire from a substation.

Officers responded early Wednesday morning to a report of a man on fire near the Dakota Electric Power substation in the 1700 block of Deerwood Drive in Eagan.

The man was transported to Regions Hospital and is listed in stable condition. Police also found a 28-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man near the scene and arrested both on suspicion of copper theft. They were released after being booked at the Eagan Police Department.

Witnesses told police the incident caused a flash of light and a large "boom" that could be seen and heard for miles. Power to about 6,500 homes in the area was out for about 2 1/2 hours before being restored.

Eagan police detectives are investigating the incident and plan to forward their case to the Dakota County Attorney's Office for formal charges.