One person died and 23 others were rescued after they became trapped underground while touring a Colorado gold mine on Thursday.
The group became stuck near the bottom of Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek after an equipment failure at around noon Thursday.
Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said one person died and 23 others had been trapped in the mine shaft.
“I am relieved that 12 of the people trapped in the Mollie Kathleen Mine have been safely rescued,” Gov. Jared Polis said.
“Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the individual lost in this incident.”
Engineers, elevator, and mine safety experts repaired the elevator stuck 500 feet underground, checked the cables, and ran a rest round before starting the rescue operation.
“I have spoken to the Teller County Sheriff and County Commissioners and will stay in touch through the course of this rescue,” the governor said during the rescue.
“The state is assisting Teller County and sending resources to rescue those inside the mine.”
Mikesell said no similar incidents have been reported at the popular tourist destination since 1986.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety will lead the investigation into the incident.
