Colorado
12 People Trapped In Colorado Gold Mine After Deadly Equipment Failure—Here’s What We Know
Topline
A tourist gold mine in Colorado experienced an elevator malfunction Thursday that left one person dead and trapped 12 others 1,000 feet beneath the surface, according to local authorities, who are aiming to make a successful rescue by this evening.
The mine is located near Cripple Creek, Colorado. (Photo by Nina Raingold/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Key Facts
Visitors of Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, Colorado, were onboard an elevator about 500 feet below ground level when it malfunctioned, leaving one person dead, four people injured and 12 others who already used the elevator stranded, according to ABC Denver, which cited a press conference update from Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell.
Those onboard the elevator after the incident were rescued, though it remains unclear how the one unidentified person was killed.
The people trapped in the mine are with a worker and have access to chairs, water and blankets, Mikesell said.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement Thursday there are state and local authorities on the scene, adding they will look to “ensure a speedy and safe resolution of the situation.”
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How Will Those Trapped In The Mine Be Freed?
Authorities are attempting to figure out what happened to the elevator and if it can safely be used to bring up the stranded people, with rope teams from the Colorado Springs Fire Department being considered as a backup plan, according to Mikesell.
Key Background
The Mollie Kathleen gold mine, about a two-hour drive south of Denver, provides visitors with a one-hour tour stretching 1,000 feet beneath the surface. The mine was founded in the 1800s and closed in the 1960s, when its owners decided tour revenues would be used to maintain the mine in case it could one day be used for gold production again, according to the mine’s website. The website also recommends visitors bring jackets suitable for temperatures of about 50 degrees. Mikesell said the mine had not experienced an incident since 1986.
Further Reading
1 dead, 12 trapped 1,000 feet underground after equipment malfunction at Teller County mine (ABC Denver)
One dead, a dozen others trapped inside Colorado tourist mine after equipment malfunction (Denver Gazzette)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – A rollover crash caused delays in Northern Colorado Springs Wednesday morning, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.
Police said the traffic accident occurred around 7 a.m.
The southbound Voyager Parkway was closed at Interquest Parkway while police worked to clear the scene.
Two people were taken to the hospital with non-serious injuries, according to police.
This article will be updated when more information is available.
Copyright 2025 KKTV. All rights reserved.
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) – On Tuesday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said a Colorado Springs woman was arrested after she was pulled over in a motorhome.
The sheriff’s office said a deputy pulled the motorhome over because it did not have a license plate. Deputies said they then learned the woman also did not have a valid driver’s license.
Deputies said while they were preparing to tow the motorhome, they found a jar of marijuana inside.
The sheriff’s office told 11 News the suspect, a 47-year-old woman, had 12 ounces of marijuana. State law says adults can only have up to one ounce at a time.
The sheriff’s office said the woman was initially issued a citation for the traffic violations but was ultimately arrested as well due to the amount of marijuana in the motorhome.
Copyright 2025 KKTV. All rights reserved.
A 26-year-old Colorado man has died as a result of his injuries after crashing into three other cars and being partially ejected, according to the Aurora Police Department. The man was clocked by a speed enforcement officer as going almost 100 MPH and running a red light before crashing.
The crash happened around 8 p.m. on Monday at the intersection of Alameda Parkway and South Airport Boulevard.
Aurora police say the Tesla was clocked at 97 MPH while it was traveling westbound on Alameda Parkway near South Quintero Way. The officer initially pursued the driver, but after he accelerated, the officer terminated the pursuit, the department said.
That driver, who has not yet been identified, ran a red light at South Airport Boulevard/South Buckley Road, striking one car, spinning out, and then colliding with two others, including an Aurora police vehicle, before catching fire. The driver was partially ejected and died at the scene, according to police.
Aurora Police Department
Six others — two adults and four children — who were in the first vehicle the Tesla struck were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The Aurora Police officer and the other driver weren’t injured.
The battery of the Tesla entered what officials referred to as “thermal runaway,” which is when the lithium-ion batteries heat up so fast that they catch fire or sometimes even explode. Aurora Fire Rescue responded and monitored the Tesla, letting the fire burn out while keeping people away.
The crash and subsequent fire also damaged the road itself, as well as traffic lights in the area, and Aurora Public Works responded to clear the road and repair the traffic lights. The road was partially reopened around 1:40 a.m. Tuesday and fully reopened around 2:15 a.m.
APD is currently investigating the crash, and the deceased driver will be identified by the coroner’s office.
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