Cause of elevator accident at Colorado tourist mine that killed 1 person and trapped 12 others still unknown

Denver (AP) — Investigators were trying to figure out Friday what led to an elevator malfunction at a former Colorado gold mine, killing one person, injuring four others and leaving 12 people trapped for hours at the foot from the tourist attraction to 1,000 feet (305 feet). meters) below the surface.

The elevator was descending into the Mollie Kathleen gold mine near the town of Cripple Creek in the mountains near Colorado Springs when it encountered a mechanical problem about 500 feet (152 meters) below the surface. It caused the death of one person, who has not yet been identified, and injured four others, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said during press briefings Thursday evening.

But the exact cause of the visitor’s death was not immediately revealed. Eleven other people, including two children, who were taking the elevator were rescued. Four of them suffered minor injuries, including back, neck and arm pain, the sheriff said.

Twelve adults from a second group were trapped Thursday for about six hours underground. They had access to water and used radios to communicate with authorities, who told them there was a problem with the elevator, Mikesell said.

Mines that operate as tourist attractions in Colorado must designate someone to inspect mines and transportation systems daily, according to the state’s 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.

Engineers worked to ensure the elevator was operating safely again before returning stranded visitors to it Thursday evening. This involved sending the empty elevator all the way to the bottom of the shaft to ensure it could rise again without problem. The elevator ride usually takes about two minutes, according to the mine’s website.

The 12 stranded tourists were hoisted up in groups of four over a half-hour period, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. They were prepared to lift them up with a rope if necessary if the elevator was not usable.

The incident, which was reported to authorities around noon, occurred during the final week of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine’s season before it closed for the winter, Mikesell said.

Cripple Creek is a town of about 1,100 people located in the Rocky Mountains, southwest of Colorado Springs.

The mine opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but it still offers guided tours. Its website describes a one-hour tour. It says visitors can see veins of gold in the rock and ride an underground tram.

A woman named Mollie Kathleen Gortner discovered the mine site in 1891 when she saw quartz mixed with gold, according to the company’s website.

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