By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

GALENA, Kan. - Police Chief Larry Delmont said Wednesday it was probably a "pretty stupid idea" on his part to enter a collapsing building to rescue a pet lovebird.

But Delmont said that when several of his officers volunteered to retrieve Romeo, the seemingly ill-fated bird, he didn't want any of them to take the risk. On Wednesday morning, Delmont entered the crumbling Green Parrot bar in search of Romeo.

The building at 319 Main St. began collapsing Monday when an old mine shaft opened in the ground behind the building. The back of the building began collapsing first, and large portions of the rear of the building fell away Tuesday. The apartments of building owner Opal Currey and her son, Mickey Morang, were in the rear section of the building. Both got out safely.

Currey and Morang have operated the Green Parrot for 25 years. Before that, the bar was known as Nina's Green Parrot.

Larry Spahn, an environmental technician with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Surface Mining Division, said Tuesday that he could hear Romeo squawking inside the building when pieces of the building fell.

Delmont said Morang was happy to see his pet again. Delmont said the lovebird appeared to be in good condition, but it may have some wing damage from flapping it against the cage.

Delmont said the bird's cage was along a wall in Morang's upstairs apartment. He said he was in communication with other officers during the rescue, but that would have done him little good if the building had collapsed while he was inside.

He said he was motivated by a concern for the animal, and he didn't want it to die.

The police chief said residents should keep a safe distance from the building.

A piece at a time

Heavy equipment on Wednesday continued to fill the mine collapse with large pieces of rubble. Pieces of the Green Parrot building occasionally dropped away.