Cripple creek mine accident leaves one dead, 12 rescued safe
A tragic accident occurred at a former gold mine in Cripple Creek, Colorado, which is now a tourist attraction. Due to an elevator failure, one person died, and 12 others were trapped underground.
8:48 AM EDT, October 11, 2024
The incident took place at the Mollie Kathleen mine, located near the town of Cripple Creek. According to Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell, there were "serious technical problems" with the elevator at a depth of about 1,000 feet.
He added that one person lost their life due to the incident, without providing additional details. Shortly thereafter, 11 people were brought to the surface. The remaining group of 12 tourists waited for help for several hours.
Rescue operation at the Colorado mine. Tourists did not know what happened
Rescuers maintained constant contact with those trapped underground. They had access to water and blankets, and among them was someone who had experience in mine rescue. Ultimately, the rescue operation was completed six hours later, and everyone was brought to the surface.
According to the Associated Press, several people had minor injuries, but the tourists' mental state was good. It was only after the entire operation concluded that they learned exactly what had happened underground.
End of the season
The accident occurred at the end of the tourist season at the gold mine. The Mollie Kathleen was scheduled to close for the winter in a week. The last similar incident occurred in the 1980s.
Opened in the 19th century, the mine was commercially exploited until the 1960s. It is now a tourist attraction, offering visitors the opportunity to take an hour-long tour as deep as 30 stories underground, where they can see gold veins and ride an underground tram.
