One person has died, and 23 others were rescued after a lift broke down at a former mine in Colorado, trapping some underground for six hours. The incident occurred at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek in the US, where two groups were touring the privately-owned tourist site. The first group had one fatality, with the remaining 11 tourists, including two children, rescued, and four sustaining minor injuries. The second group of 12 individuals was stuck in a tunnel at the bottom of the mine but later safely brought to the surface.
The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine offers an hour-long tour taking visitors 1,000 feet down a shaft on the southwest side of Pikes Peak. Officials reported a mechanical issue with the lift around 500 feet below the surface, posing a severe danger to participants. Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell confirmed the fatality and the need to resolve the elevator issue before bringing individuals up. Rescue teams provided the stranded group with chairs, blankets, water, and maintained a safe temperature while communicating via radios.
Various agencies, including search and rescue teams with heavy machinery, responded to the emergency. Governor Jared Polis expressed relief at the safe rescue of 12 individuals from the mine. The tour company website describes the experience as similar to riding in a lift, providing views of natural gold veins and supporting mine maintenance through tour revenues. The mine was named after Mollie Kathleen Gortner, the first woman to strike gold in Cripple Creek in 1891.
While TripAdvisor reviews mentioned tight, claustrophobic conditions in the lift, a former hoist operator described its capacity and travel time. The mine was scheduled to close for the season, with the incident representing a rare safety issue after the last recorded “incident” in 1986. The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine tours aim to educate visitors on mining history and maintain the operational condition of the historic site.