CRIPPLE CREEK • One person died, four were injured and 23 rescued after an equipment malfunction during a tour Thursday of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, according to the Teller County Sheriff’s Office.
By 7:15 p.m., the 12 who had remained trapped for more than six hours at the bottom of the tourist mine on the east side of town wrapped up their 1,000-foot ascent to the surface after workers fixed a broken elevator. Eleven others were rescued shortly after the issue happened at 500 feet.
The Sheriff’s Office received a report shortly after noon that an elevator transporting visitors at the mine had malfunctioned and stopped at the midway point, said Jason Mikesell, the Teller County sheriff.
Officials don’t know what failed within the elevator trolley, or whether the people who were on the elevator were descending into the mine or coming up from a tour, Mikesell said.
Officials said they believed the fatality happened during the malfunction.
Officials said during a news conference in the evening after the rescue that all 12 were uninjured during the return to the surface, coming up four at a time using the elevator. The group was fed a meal of pizza, per their request, Mikesell said.
Officials confirmed all of the individuals were out-of-state tourists and were provided hotels for the night. None of them was made aware of the situation while they were stuck underground, other than being told of a “broken elevator.” Upon their ascent, officials said they were “grateful” they were not told.
Those stuck at the bottom of the mine had blankets, chairs, and water and were in communication with responders at the top while stuck, officials said.
Officials didn’t say what went wrong with the elevator, but after an inspection that no debris was blocking rails or cables, and a test run up and down, it was able to be used to bring all 12 individuals back up to safety.
Insight: Previous Incidents at the Mine
Reports indicate that the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine has experienced mishaps in the past. Officials referenced an unspecified incident in 1986, and according to Gazette archives from the Pikes Peak Library District’s digital collection, the elevator failed twice in the summer of 1994, leaving visitors stranded for hours.
Additional Assistance and Response
The Colorado Springs Fire Department sent heavy-rescue and high-angle crews, among others, to the mine. Gov. Jared Polis’ office also directed state resources to assist Teller County authorities with the rescue efforts. The State Emergency Operations Center was activated, and a mine rescue team and a Department of Labor and Employment conveyances inspector were called on, according to the governor’s news release.
Cripple Creek Mayor Annie Durham expressed gratitude for the quick response of all agencies involved and mentioned they are keeping everyone in their prayers.
History and Tours of the Mine
The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is a former gold mine turned into a tourist destination that takes guests on a vertical descent 100 floors below ground, according to its website. Tours are done at 1,000 feet, but the elevator shaft is deeper than that. The mine was named after Mollie Kathleen Gortner, the first woman in the Cripple Creek gold camp to discover gold and strike a claim in her own name in 1891.
The mine closed in the 1960s, but due to successful mine tours, the decision was made to continue them. Revenue from the tours is used to maintain the mine and ensure it remains in safe operable mining condition, as stated on the website.
Regulations and Safety Measures
The state requires daily tests of tourist mines, ensuring the safety of visitors and preventing incidents like the recent elevator malfunction at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine.
CRIPPLE CREEK • One person died, four were injured and 23 rescued after an equipment malfunction during a tour Thursday of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, according to the Teller County Sheriff’s Office.
By 7:15 p.m., the 12 who had remained trapped for more than six hours at the bottom of the tourist mine on the east side of town wrapped up their 1,000-foot ascent to the surface after workers fixed a broken elevator. Eleven others were rescued shortly after the issue happened at 500 feet.
The Sheriff’s Office received a report shortly after noon that an elevator transporting visitors at the mine had malfunctioned and stopped at the midway point, said Jason Mikesell, the Teller County sheriff.
Officials don’t know what failed within the elevator trolley, or whether the people who were on the elevator were descending into the mine or coming up from a tour, Mikesell said.
Officials said they believed the fatality happened during the malfunction.
Officials said during a news conference in the evening after the rescue that all 12 were uninjured during the return to the surface, coming up four at a time using the elevator. The group was fed a meal of pizza, per their request, Mikesell said.
Officials confirmed all of the individuals were out-of-state tourists and were provided hotels for the night. None of them was made aware of the situation while they were stuck underground, other than being told of a “broken elevator.” Upon their ascent, officials said they were “grateful” they were not told.
Those stuck at the bottom of the mine had blankets, chairs, and water and were in communication with responders at the top while stuck, officials said.
Officials didn’t say what went wrong with the elevator, but after an inspection that no debris was blocking rails or cables, and a test run up and down, it was able to be used to bring all 12 individuals back up to safety.
Insight: Previous Incidents at the Mine
Reports indicate that the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine has experienced mishaps in the past. Officials referenced an unspecified incident in 1986, and according to Gazette archives from the Pikes Peak Library District’s digital collection, the elevator failed twice in the summer of 1994, leaving visitors stranded for hours.
Additional Assistance and Response
The Colorado Springs Fire Department sent heavy-rescue and high-angle crews, among others, to the mine. Gov. Jared Polis’ office also directed state resources to assist Teller County authorities with the rescue efforts. The State Emergency Operations Center was activated, and a mine rescue team and a Department of Labor and Employment conveyances inspector were called on, according to the governor’s news release.
Cripple Creek Mayor Annie Durham expressed gratitude for the quick response of all agencies involved and mentioned they are keeping everyone in their prayers.
History and Tours of the Mine
The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is a former gold mine turned into a tourist destination that takes guests on a vertical descent 100 floors below ground, according to its website. Tours are done at 1,000 feet, but the elevator shaft is deeper than that. The mine was named after Mollie Kathleen Gortner, the first woman in the Cripple Creek gold camp to discover gold and strike a claim in her own name in 1891.
The mine closed in the 1960s, but due to successful mine tours, the decision was made to continue them. Revenue from the tours is used to maintain the mine and ensure it remains in safe operable mining condition, as stated on the website.
Regulations and Safety Measures
The state requires daily tests of tourist mines, ensuring the safety of visitors and preventing incidents like the recent elevator malfunction at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine.
