Emergency services outside the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, Colorado
(Image: Arthur Trickette-Wile/The Gazette via AP)

One dead after elevator malfunction at Colorado gold mine

by · Manchester Evening News

One person has been killed after an elevator malfunctioned at a former gold mine in Colorado in the United States.

Emergency services rescued 12 people who got trapped at the bottom of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, which is now a tourist site, for around six hours while the elevator was broken.

The elevator was descending into the mine, which is located near the town of Cripple Creek, when it had a mechanical problem around 150 meters beneath the surface.

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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.

Twelve adults became trapped around 300 meters below ground level. Luckily, they had access to water and were able to use radios to communicate with authorities, who told them there was an elevator issue, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said.

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.

A police officer outside the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek
(Image: Arthur H. Trickett-Wile/The Gazette via AP)

Sheriff Mikesell said authorities do not know yet what caused the malfunction and an investigation is underway. The identity of the person who died has not been released, and an explanation of how they died has not been provided.

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 150 meters per minute, according to the mine's website. Sheriff Mikesell said the last time there was an incident was in the 1980s when a couple of people were trapped on the elevator, but thee were no deaths.

The mine opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but still operates tours.