CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo — Twelve people from a tour group who were trapped at 1,000 feet underground for six hours have been successfully rescued, said the Teller County Sheriff's Office.
"No one else was injured as we brought four people up at a time to the surface," said Sheriff Jason Mikesell. "They were all in good spirits and we fed them pizza because that's what they wanted."
The sheriff said the accident happened around noon Thursday at the Mollie Kathleen Mine tourist attraction in Cripple Creek. An elevator trolley was about 500 feet underground when a malfunction occurred, Mikesell said. Eleven people, including two children, were on the elevator when it malfunctioned. One of them died as a result and four others were hurt. All of them were brought back to the surface.
When asked how the person died, the sheriff said that it was an elevator malfunction and a "tragic accident."
First responders worked into the evening along with mine safety crews to put together a plan that worked to bring the people back up to the surface safely with the elevator, said the sheriff. The mine owner was on the scene to help crews make sure the elevator was working properly to bring the people up to the surface.
Mikesell said the 12 who were trapped were on a tour of the mine, and one of them was a mine employee. While trapped underground at the bottom of the tunnel, first responders were able to get them chairs, blankets and water and were able to communicate with crews above ground.
Mikesell said engineers inspected the elevator to determine what malfunctioned and to make sure it was operating safely to bring the people back up. If not, Mikesell said, other contingency plans were in place.
The elevator was sent down empty and returned to the surface safely around 6:08 p.m. After that success, an inspector descended into the mine and brought back the first four people to the surface, the sheriff's office said. The last people were bought up to the surface shortly after 7 p.m.
Cripple Creek city officials arranged hotel rooms in town for the 12 people rescued.
After learning of the rescue, Gov. Jared Polis released the following statement:
“I am relieved that 12 of the people trapped in the Mollie Kathleen Mine have been safely rescued. Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the individual lost in this incident. 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, 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,” the statement reads.
Polis' office said Thursday that the state had personnel on site to provide support to local authorities. A field manager from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management was there, the State Emergency Operations Center was activated and supporting resource requests, a mine rescue team from the Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Labor and Employment had a conveyances inspector on scene. Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Dan Gibbs also arrived at the mine.
The attraction's website says "the Mollie Kathleen is an authentic 1890s gold mine" and visitors can "descend 1,000 feet underground."
The gold mine was set to close for the season this weekend.
