A tour guide died alone after an elevator malfunction trapped 23 people 1,000 feet underground inside the former Colorado Gold Mine, a popular tourist attraction in the state, authorities said Friday.
Patrick Weir, 46, was killed in the incident at the Molly Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, according to the Teller County Sheriff's Office.
Weir, a mine tour guide and Cripple Creek resident, left behind a 7-year-old daughter.
“He was a good man,” Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell told reporters at a news conference Friday. “My feeling is that he was trying to keep everyone safe. I don't know what happened…but I think for us and what that looks like. Well, I know he may have been a hero from the beginning.”
“When working with heavy equipment or at 1,000-foot levels, up to [the] 500[-foot] Accidents can occur in mines. And this was a tragic accident. ”
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Several people trapped in a former gold mine in Colorado were rescued on Thursday. (KMGH)
Officials said an elevator in the mine suffered a mechanical failure at about 500 feet around noon Thursday.
The details of this fatal incident are still under investigation by several agencies, including OSHA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Cripple Creek Mayor Annie Durham said, “We are very grateful for the quick response of the agencies involved and we are in everyone's prayers.”
Eleven people, including two children, who were in the elevator were initially rescued. The sheriff said four people suffered minor injuries, including back pain, neck pain and arm pain.
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Molly Kathleen Gold Mine Tours in Cripple Creek, Colorado is located in a historic mining town just south of Colorado Springs. Guided tours inside former gold mines are a popular tourist attraction in the area. (Getty Images)
The other 12 adults were trapped 1,000 feet underground and were rescued about six hours later. Mikesell said they were able to get water and blankets and used a radio to communicate with authorities, who told them there was a problem with the elevator. Mikesell said they were also given pizza upon request.
The family-run mine will remain closed.
“I would like to send my prayers and condolences to everyone involved. I would also like to thank all the first responders and emergency personnel who have helped us through these difficult times. Molly Kathleen Closed until further notice,” the website states. state.
On Thursday, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said: “I am saddened to learn of the loss of life in this tragic accident and my heart goes out to the families and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Several people trapped at a former gold mine in Colorado were covered in tarpaulins at the mine entrance Thursday. (KMGH)
The mine was opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but was reopened for educational tours in the following decades.
Its website describes an hour-long tour in which visitors descend 300 feet underground into a “safe, clean, and dry” environment.
The mine was scheduled to hold its final day of the season on Sunday.
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According to the company's website, Molly Kathleen Gortner discovered the mine's location in 1891 when she saw a gold-encrusted crystal.
Thursday's accident was not the first at the mine. Officials on Friday referred to an unspecified incident that occurred in 1986.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
