One person is dead and 23 others were rescued after an elevator malfunction left tourists trapped in a Colorado gold mine for hours. The terrifying incident occurred on Thursday, Oct. 10 at around noon.
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Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell confirmed that 12 tourists trapped in the Mollie Kathleen Mine near Cripple Creek were rescued after spending six hours 1,000 feet underground. The tourists were brought up using the repaired elevator system, but four at a time.
The rescue came just after 11 people were brought up from the initial incident at 500 feet. Engineers then inspected the elevator to ensure no other malfunction occurred before going down 1,000 feet into the gold mine to retrieve the 12 others.
The sheriff did confirm that one person was killed as a result of the gold mine elevator malfunction. NBC News reported the deceased was identified as Patrick Weier, who worked as a tour guide at the mine. The man had a 7-year-old son and lived in Victor.
“Currently, we don’t know exactly what happened at 500 feet to cause this,” Mikesell stated. “That’s something we’re working through.”
Mikesell also called the incident a “very tragic accident.”
He further explained that the elevator was on its descent into the gold mine when the malfunction occurred.
Although details about Weier’s death have not been disclosed, Mikesell pointed out that investigators believe it was from a mechanical issue and not a medical incident.
Meanwhile, some of the initial reports revealed that the elevator experienced a “drop” when it malfunctioned. However, officials do not know if it dropped or bounced. There is also no camera in the elevator to confirm what exactly happened.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the accident. The elevator did pass safety inspections before the incident.
Colorado Gov. Releases Statement on Gold Mine Rescue Following Elevator Malfunction
Just after the nearly dozen people were rescued from the gold mine elevator, Colorado governor Jared Polis released a statement to Fox 12 confirming the news.
“I am relieved that 12 of the people trapped in the Mollie Kathleen Mine have been safely rescued,” Polis stated. “Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the individual lost in this incident.”
He continued by thanking those part of the rescue efforts. “I thank Teller County and Sheriff Mikesell and his team, as well as the other law enforcement and first responders from local and state government for their swift response and tireless efforts,” he said. “Including members of the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Thanks to this collaborative effort, each of these individuals will return home safely.”