Man killed in tourist mine elevator accident, identified as guide

Oct. 11 (UPI) — The person who died in an elevator accident at a mining tourism site in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains this week was identified Friday as a guide for the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour.

Patrick Weier, 46, died early Thursday in Teller County, Colorado, when an elevator taking tourists down the mine shaft malfunctioned, authorities told reporters in Colorado Springs.

Four people were treated for minor injuries in the crash near Cripple Creek, Colorado, according to Sheriff Jason Mikesell.

They were among 11 people rescued immediately after the incident when the broken elevator car was lifted back to the surface from a depth of 150 meters.

However, twelve other visitors were stuck on a level of the mine 1,000 feet below the surface as the elevator was checked for safety. They waited for hours as officials tested the transportation and made plans to evacuate them using ropes if necessary.

Rescue teams from the Colorado Highway Patrol and the Colorado Springs Fire Department, as well as personnel from the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Department of Natural Resources, stood by if rescue operations were needed.

Ultimately there was no need as the elevator was deemed safe after a six hour wait and was used to transport the remaining tourists to the surface without incident. While they waited underground, they were not told about the problems.

Mikesell did not provide details about how Weier died, but said he was from Victor, Colorado, worked as a tour guide and was the father of a 7-year-old son.

“We ask you to have compassion on the gentleman and his family. He leaves behind a 7-year-old child,” the sheriff said, adding that there is no word yet on what went wrong with the elevator.

“Anytime you’re dealing with heavy machinery at a height of 1,000 feet in a mine, accidents can happen. And that was a tragic accident,” he said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident.

The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is a once-active mine that was one of the first to be established in the historic Cripple Creek mining district, considered one of the most famous and productive gold camps in the world.

Located southwest of Pike’s Peak, the camp began to boom in 1891 after one of the largest gold discoveries in history was made at Winfield Scott Stratton’s Independence Mine.