One dead, 23 rescued on gold mining trip in Colorado after equipment malfunction

Twelve people trapped deep beneath the surface of a former Colorado gold mine that became a popular tourist destination were rescued Thursday evening after an elevator malfunctioned, authorities said.

The rescue came after eleven more rescues hours earlier and one person died at the Mollie Kathleen gold mine in Cripple Creek.

Although the gold mine has been closed to mining for decades, tours are offered there about 1,000 feet underground, the Teller County Sheriff's Office said.

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Around midday, there was a mechanical problem with the elevator that takes tourists into the mine, posing a danger to passengers, authorities said.

Eleven people, including two children, were initially rescued on a trolley. Four of them suffered minor injuries, while an unknown person died about 500 feet deep in the mine.

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The 12 others were rescued hours later after government engineers decided it was safe to begin bringing the trapped tourists back to the surface.

“They are safe at the 1,000-foot level,” Sheriff Jason Mikesell said of the 12 prisoners. “They honestly don’t know we had a problem other than there’s a problem with the elevator.”

Mines that operate as tourist attractions in Colorado are required to designate someone to inspect the mines and transportation systems daily, according to the state Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety.

Mikesell said he did not know the date of the last inspection. Records of the inspections were not immediately available online.

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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said he was aware of the situation.

“I am relieved that 12 of the people trapped in the Mollie Kathleen mine have been safely rescued. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the person who died in this incident,” Polis said in a statement. “I thank Teller County and Sheriff Mikesell and his team, as well as other local and state government law enforcement agencies and first responders, for their rapid response and tireless efforts, including members of the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Labor and Employment.” and the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

“Thanks to this joint effort, each of these people will return home safely,” he added.

The mine opened in the 19th century and closed in 1961, but still offers tours. The website describes a one-hour tour in which visitors descend 300 meters into the earth. They say they can see gold veins in the rocks and ride the subway.

According to the company's website, a woman named Mollie Kathleen Gortner discovered the mine's location in 1891 when she saw quartz laced with gold.

Tours run from May to the second weekend in October.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Original source of the article: One dead, 23 rescued on gold mining trip in Colorado after equipment malfunction