One person is dead and 12 others are trapped 1,000 feet underground after equipment malfunctioned at a former gold mine that is now a Colorado tourist attraction, authorities said Thursday.
Rescue efforts are underway at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near the town of Cripple Creek, about 45 miles southwest of Colorado Springs, according to the Teller County Sheriff’s Office. The incident occurred around noon when the elevator shaft had a mechanical issue that "created a severe danger for the participants," Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said at a news conference Thursday.
At the time of the incident, the tour group was about 500 feet beneath the surface, according to Mikesell. Eleven people, including two children and four people who sustained minor injuries, were rescued with a trolley system. At least one person was killed, Mikesell said without providing details of how the person died.