A technical glitch with an elevator that lowers visitors into a defunct gold mine resulted in tourists being stranded for several hours, 1,000 feet beneath the surface.
Tragically, one person has died due to the incident, which left 23 tourists trapped in the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, situated in Cripple Creek.
The tourists had embarked on the mine tour on Thursday, October 10, but encountered an issue when the lift became stuck at a depth of 500 feet.
According to a Facebook post from the Teller County Sheriff’s Office: “11 people were on the elevator when the malfunction occurred. Among them were two children. As a result, one individual lost their life, and four other people received minor injuries.”
In addition to the 11 individuals in the elevator, another 12 tourists and a seasoned guide had already descended to the mine’s depths when the tour started.
Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell stated there was no immediate risk of oxygen depletion in the mine shaft for the tourists, although the situation posed a ‘severe danger’.
Before their rescue, the sheriff assured: “They have chairs, blankets, water and are at a safe temperature. This was due to an equipment malfunction. The mine did not collapse.”
The Sheriff’s Office shared: “The elevator was able to return those 11 people back to the surface.”
“The four injured people received medical attention. The children were not injured. The people from the elevator were also provided mental health services to help deal with any trauma.”
The individuals trapped underground were able to maintain communication with rescuers as efforts were made to fix the elevator, which had stalled at 500 feet.
Engineers assessed the elevator cables and performed a test run. Once it was deemed safe, the elevator was used to safely bring back the 12 tourists and the guide.
Seven individuals from the initial rescue were treated at a hospital and subsequently released, whereas the remaining 12 were reported safe and unharmed, according to the sheriff’s office.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family and friends of the deceased.
Mikesell confirmed that the fatality was linked to the elevator issue, though further specifics were not immediately disclosed.
Mikesell noted that the mine had not experienced a similar incident since 1986.