1 dead, 12 trapped in tourist mine accident

An accident at the Mollie Kathleen gold mine in Colorado has reportedly left one person dead and 12 others still trapped after an elevator malfunctioned.

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

So far, 11 people, including two children, have been rescued from the former mine, which now serves as a tourist attraction.

In an address to the press Thursday, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said the 12 people were trapped at the bottom of the 1,000-foot-deep mine.

He said the people became trapped after a mechanical problem occurred with the mine’s elevator.

One of the people trapped is a mine employee and a former mine rescue worker.

Given the colder temperatures in the mine, water, blankets, chairs and a radio were sent to those trapped.

Plan B, Plan C implemented for rescue: District sheriff

Mikesell said he hoped the elevator was intact but wanted to make sure the ride was safe before carrying out the rescue of the 12 trapped people.

“We want to inspect it and make sure it’s safe before we bring it back up,” Mikesell said.

“We have already put in place a Plan B and a Plan C with the rescue workers,” the Associated Press quoted him as saying.

The mine dates back to the 1890s and has served as a tourist destination for 50 years. The last accident at the mine was reported in 1986.

During the hour-long tour of the mine, tourists are offered an underground experience that requires a descent and then a short ride on a subway car. They will then be guided on foot over a quarter-mile flat and level route to show them how the gold mine operated during its operation.

Although the mine is not claustrophobic, the tour website states that the shaft is very close for about two minutes during the descent.