CRIPPLE CREEK — One person is dead, 12 people are trapped, and 11 others have been rescued following an equipment malfunction at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour, according to the Teller County Sheriff's Office.
It happened around noon Thursday at the mine tour located east of Cripple Creek town limits.
The Teller County Sheriff's Office says a mechanical issue occurred with the elevator taking tourists into the mine, which created a severe danger for riders.
The sheriff's office says 11 people, including two children, were rescued using a trolley car, four of which received minor injuries and are expected to be okay. One person, however, died at 500 feet deep.
At this time, the name of the person who died is not being released.
The sheriff's office says 12 people are still trapped at 1,000 feet. Those people are safe at the bottom of the mine with a tour guide and have water, chairs and blankets.
At this time, the sheriff's office says they are trying to figure out what went wrong with the elevator and if they can get it operational again. Engineers from the state are going to the scene to inspect the elevator to make sure it's safe before it is used again.
According to the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), they are also responding to this incident. They have rope teams available if they are unable to get the elevator working again.
The sheriff's office says the last incident happened in 1986.
According to the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour website, the mine closed in the 1960s, however, mine tours were doing well at the time and so a decision was made to continue the tours.
Revenue from the tours are used to maintain the mine and ensure it is in “safe operable mining condition,” the website reads. One-hour walking tours are offered seasonally.
The tours are open from May through the second weekend in October. It’s not clear if the people who are trapped were on a tour.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis released the following statement regarding this incident:
“I have spoken to the Teller County Sheriff and County Commissioners and will stay in touch through the course of this rescue effort. The state is assisting Teller County and sending resources to rescue those inside the mine. We will do everything possible and assist the county to ensure a speedy and safe resolution of the situation.”
This is a developing story. News5 will continue to update this web story as we learn more.
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