One person has died after being trapped under 1,000 feet at a disused gold mine in Colorado.
A group of 12 people became stuck when the lift at the tourist attraction in Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near the town of Cripple Creek malfunctioned.
They spent more than six hours below ground as a mine rescue team was sent to rescue them.
The lift was descending when it suffered a mechanical problem 500 feet beneath the surface, creating a ‘severe danger for the participants’.
It is understood that the trapped group were already underground when the lift malfunctioned as it descended with another 11 visitors.
The incident killed one person on board, but it is not yet been revealed how they died. Four others suffered minor injuries.
That group was able to return to the surface while the others were trapped below ground while the lift was checked.
Radio communication was established with the group of 12, which included a guide, and Teller County sheriff Jason Mikesell said they had water, blankets and chairs.
He said during a nighttime briefing that authorities do not know yet what caused the malfunction and an investigation is underway.
Engineers worked to make sure the lift was working safely again before bringing the stranded visitors back up on it.
They had been prepared to bring them up by rope if necessary, had they not been able to get the elevator fixed.
Mikesell declined to reveal the identification of the victim.
The incident, which was reported to authorities at about noon, happened during the final week of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine season before it shuts down for the winter.
The elevator ride typically takes about two minutes, travelling about 500 feet (152 meters) per minute, according to the mine’s website.
Mikesell said the last time there was an incident was in the 1980s when a couple of people were trapped on the elevator. Nobody died in that incident.
Mines that operate as tourist attractions in Colorado must designate someone to inspect the mines and the transportation systems daily, according to the state Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety.
Mikesell said he did not know the date of the last inspection. Records of the inspections weren’t immediately available online.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
