Updated on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, at 7:45 p.m. All 12 people trapped in a Teller County tourist mine 1,000 feet underground were rescued late Thursday evening.
According to officials, one person died and four people were injured in the initial accident at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near Cripple Creek.
One person stuck at the bottom of the elevator shaft is from the tour company and is also a former mine rescue personnel.
“We will do everything possible and assist the county to ensure a speedy and safe resolution of the situation.” The Mollie Kathleen Mine was discovered in 1891.
“And, as a deep shaft tour operation is both rare, and particularly vulnerable to ventilation and other issues.
Thursday, October was the update date. 10, 2024, at 7:45 p.m. me.
Come late Thursday night, all twelve of the individuals stranded in a 1,000-foot-deep tourist mine in Teller County were freed. Twelve people, including children, were caught.
Officials report that the first accident at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near Cripple Creek left one person dead and four injured.
The elevator at the mine, which descends 1,000 feet into the earth over the course of two minutes, malfunctioned, according to officials. According to the tour company’s website, visitors can walk through underground terrain for approximately a quarter mile after that.
On Thursday, eleven more people were saved earlier in the day.
It wasn’t a collapse, mine.
The original narrative is given below.
The elevator will be tried to be operational first, according to Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell. The Colorado Springs Fire Department’s “plan b” is to send a rescue team down the shaft if necessary.
“They descend 1,000 feet.”. I take it that means we’re going on a lengthy rope trip? If necessary, we can raise people up on those ropes,” he said. Because you’re dropping a long way in a tunnel, don’t you think it also puts those first responders in danger?
Therefore, we want to guarantee the tunnel’s security. Making sure the shaft is in good working order is our goal. We wish to confirm that every one of those functions properly,” he remarked.
According to Mikesell, workers are attempting to maintain the composure of those who are still confined. One of the tour company’s employees is trapped at the bottom of the elevator shaft and was previously a mine rescue worker. Mikesell claims that none of the people still trapped are aware of the deaths or injuries of any of the other members.
“What they’re being told is the elevator; they really don’t know that we have more of an issue up top,” he said. And the real reason for that is that I need to maintain everyone’s composure because I can’t let them go until I get something down there. “.
A field manager from the Division of Homeland Security and a mine rescue team from the Department of Natural Resources were among the staff members and resources sent by the state to assist. Moreover, the State Emergency Operations Center was triggered.
During the rescue operation, Governor Jared Polis stated in a statement, “I have spoken with the Teller County Sheriff and County Commissioners and will stay in touch.”. “We’ll exert every effort and support the county to guarantee a prompt and secure resolution of the matter. “.
1891 saw the discovery of the Mollie Kathleen Mine.
Since the 1930s, the mine has offered tours. Furthermore, tours persisted even after mining operations ceased in 1961. They required an hour-long walk and were most recently available on a seasonal basis, from May to mid-October.
Gold mine enthusiast Heath Gay told CPR News, “I think the Molly Kathleen Goldmine tour is the best mine tour I’ve ever been on in the state of Colorado.”. Additionally, over the years, I have attended a great deal of mine tours around the state. It’s really wonderful. The state, if not the entire country, is home to only one vertical shaft gold mine tour. “.
The mine tours, which are offered daily from April through October, have drawn tourists from “around the world,” according to state records. According to what the operators told the state, anyone can use standard “cable lift mine shaft hoisting equipment” to access the mine. “.
The space is small. Like sardines, you are crammed in, Gay remarked. “This two-minute elevator ride is the longest I’ve ever experienced in my life.”. Most of it is dimly lit. You’re also crammed in there with a lot of people. “.
The official documents stated that Mollie Kathleen’s tour company provides a unique window into Colorado’s mining past. In addition, because deep shaft tours are uncommon, they are especially susceptible to problems with ventilation and other factors. An underground museum showcasing the history, mechanics, and tools of Colorado mining is located on our tour level. “.
Because of a nearby expansion of a larger mine, the tour’s operators expressed concerns about “structural stability” in a 2016 letter to state regulators. In a letter to the state Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, the tour operator, Dewey-Dwight and Associates LLP, alerted them to “existing issues regarding potential disruption to Mollie Kathleen mine safety and structural stability, which could be the unintended consequence of operations on neighboring or nearby grounds.”. Public safety is the main priority, but ventilation, structural stability, and airflow control are also important. “.
Although the state’s Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety has not responded to requests for comment, it is unclear how those concerns were handled. Federal mining regulators were contacted by CPR News for comment, but we have not received a response.
Every time Gay rode the cage, she said, it was difficult to keep from thinking about becoming lost or needing to be rescued.
Bazi Kanani of CPR provided reporting assistance.
Editor’s note: In light of new information from state documents, we have revised the dates that the mine tours started.
