Tragedy struck at a disused Colorado gold mine as one person lost their life and 23 others were rescued following an elevator malfunction. The incident occurred at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, a popular tourist attraction.
Two groups of 12 people each were on a tour of the mine when the elevator failure happened, leaving one group stranded underground for six hours. Sadly, one person from the first group did not survive, while the remaining 11 tourists, including two children, were rescued, with four sustaining minor injuries.
The second group of 12 individuals were also stuck in a tunnel at the bottom of the mine but were all safely brought back to the surface later in the day. The tour company’s website describes the tour as taking visitors 1,000ft down the shaft into the south-west side of Pikes Peak.
Officials reported that the elevator had a mechanical issue around 500ft below the surface, posing a severe danger to the participants. Rescue teams worked diligently to communicate with those trapped and ensure their safety.
Governor Jared Polis expressed relief that 12 of the trapped individuals had been rescued. The mine, named after Mollie Kathleen Gortner, the first woman to strike gold in the Cripple Creek Gold Camp in 1891, was scheduled to close for the season this Sunday.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of the tours at the mine, with past visitors describing the elevator as a miners’ “cage” and noting tight and claustrophobic conditions. Investigations into the malfunction are ongoing as authorities work to ensure the safety of future visitors to the historic site.
