Tragic Accidents in Colorado Mine Tour
A tragic incident in Colorado wherein one life was lost, and 12 others were rescued, as they were buried alive after being trapped in an lift while going down during a guided tour of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine. This tourist attraction, which previously served as a gold mine, suffered mechanical failure and made its lift unable to operate at approximately 500 feet underground.
Lifting the Rescue Operation
The accident occurred during a visit between levels of the mine near Cripple Creek. Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell confirmed that 12 adults trapped underground were brought out of the mine safely. Authorities worked hard to repair the lift before extracting the group, who had been confined underground, approximately 1,000 feet for hours.
We suffered one unfortunate fatality," said Sheriff Mikesell, who added that four other people suffered minor injuries. The rescuers treated the victims with water and kept them high-spirited during the time the rescue operations were in action
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Investigation Underway
No reason has been established why it malfunctioned, and the investigation continues. Engineers examined the lift for safety before the rescue was over. The last incident in a mine involved Mikesell, who says it happened in the 1980s, but will say nothing else about it.
Mine Safety and Inspections
According to Colorado's mining regulations, tourist mines are also mandated to check the transportation system on a daily basis. The last recorded date when such inspection was done to Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is unknown to the public, and these records are also not available for the public.
It happened in the last operational week of the tourist season of the mine before it closes for winter. The ride down 500 feet would normally take two minutes. It was built in the 1800s and finally closed up in 1961. The mine was reopened specifically for tours, giving guests a rare view into the veins of gold and a glimpse into history at the art of mining.
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