Twelve people who were trapped underground for hours after an elevator malfunctioned at a former gold mine used as a major tourist destination in Colorado, USA, were rescued safely on Thursday night.
However, one person died in the accident, officials said. Taylor County Sheriff Jason Mikesell told a news conference that the elevator was moving down at the Molly Kathleen Gold Mine near the town of Cripple Creek, but developed mechanical trouble about 500 feet (150 m) below the surface. Due to which the people present in the lift got trapped and one of them died.
Mikesell said the 12 adults trapped in the elevator were about 1,000 feet (305 meters) below the ground. Mikesell told reporters overnight that officials still did not know how the elevator failed.
Engineers worked to ensure the elevator was working safely again before bringing the trapped people back up. He said that investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Mikesell declined to reveal the identities of the dead. He said that 11 people present in the lift were rescued, out of which four persons suffered minor injuries. The mine opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, but is still used for tourism and tourists can be taken on tours inside the mine. During this time tourists can go down to 1000 feet in the mine.
