AMN/ WEB DESK
One person is dead and 12 others are trapped 1,000 feet underground inside a gold mine in the state of Colorado last night. The individuals were part of a tour group and became stuck near the bottom of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, Teller County, Colorado, around yesterday noon.
The incident was caused by equipment malfunction, according to the Teller County Sheriff’s Office. Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said that one person has died in the incident, and 12 people are stuck in the mine shaft. 11 others have been rescued, including two children.
Mikesell further added that the 12 people stuck underground are safe. Rescue teams are working to get them out. Elevator and mine safety experts are on site to inspect the elevator’s safety before it is used to bring those trapped up to the ground. Multiple agencies are responding to the incident with heavy equipment. The mine is a popular tourist destination near Cripple Creek, Colorado.