Trending Topics

1 dead, 12 rescued in Colo. gold mine elevator malfunction

12 people were trapped 1,000 feet below ground at the Cripple Creek tourist site

By Jesse Bedayn and Matthew Brown
Associated Press

DENVER — One person was killed and 12 people were rescued after being trapped for about six hours at the bottom of a former Colorado gold mine when an elevator malfunctioned at the tourist site, authorities said.

The elevator was descending into the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near the town of Cripple Creek when it had a mechanical problem around 500 feet (152 meters) beneath the surface, creating a “severe danger for the participants,” Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said.

The cause of the vistor’s death was not immediately provided.

The 12 adults who were trapped about 1,000 feet (305 meters) below ground had access to water and used radios to communicate with authorities, who told them there was an elevator issue, Mikesell said.

Mikesell said during a nighttime briefing that authorities do not know yet what caused the malfunction and an investigation is underway. Engineers worked to make sure the elevator was working safely again before bringing the stranded visitors back up on it. They had been prepared to bring them up by rope if necessary, had they not been able to get the elevator fixed.

Mikesell declined to reveal the identification of the victim.

The incident, which was reported to authorities at about noon, happened during the final week of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine season before it shuts down for the winter, Mikesell said.

Earlier in the afternoon, while the 12 were stuck at the bottom, 11 other people who were riding the elevator were rescued. Four had minor injuries but the sheriff did not elaborate on how they were injured.

The elevator ride typically takes about two minutes, travelling about 500 feet (152 meters) per minute, according to the mine’s website.

Mikesell said the last time there was an incident was in the 1980s when a couple of people were trapped on the elevator. Nobody died in that incident.

Trending
Union leaders claim that department directives limited the deployment of Austin firefighters during the deadly Kerr County flooding
The South Rim fire, the largest of four Colorado blazes ignited by a lightning storm, has caused over $3 million in damages, while other fires threaten structures and power lines
A gas leak triggered the explosion, while torrential rain forced evacuations and water rescues across the North Plainfield borough
Potts Camp firefighters say they were told to stop serving and return equipment after a sudden Facebook announcement, not direct communication

Mines that operate as tourist attractions in Colorado must designate someone to inspect the mines and the transportation systems daily, according to the state Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Mikesell said he didn’t know the date of the last inspection. Records of the inspections weren’t immediately available online.

Gov. Jared Polis sent state resources including a mine rescue team.

Cripple Creek is a town of about 1,100 in the Rocky Mountains southwest of Colorado Springs.

The mine opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but still operates tours. Its website describes a one-hour tour in which visitors descend 1,000 feet (305 meters). It says they can see veins of gold in the rock and ride an underground tram.

A woman named Mollie Kathleen Gortner discovered the site of the mine in 1891 when she saw quartz laced with gold, according to the company’s website.