One dead and 23 rescued after accident leaves guests trapped in 1,000-foot-deep Colorado gold mine

One person died and 23 others had to be rescued after an accident left them trapped in a 1,000-foot-deep gold mine in Colorado.

“I am relieved that 12 of the people trapped in the Mollie Kathleen Mine have been safely rescued. Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the individual lost in this incident,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a statement Thursday night, per CNN.

No other information was given about the person who died. Four others who were rescued had to be treated for minor injuries, according to Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell.

Around 12 p.m. on Thursday, a mechanical issue took place 500-feet-deep in the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, a tourist mine in Cripple Creek, Colorado.

During what was supposed to be a two-minute journey, a mechanical fault created a severe danger for riders on board the elevator, officials said.

Officials arrived at the scene and immediately began working to move the elevator from its position, rescuing the 11 people on board at that time. However, another dozen remained underground.The incident finally came to a close on Thursday night.

The mine faced a similar situation in 1986 and, while the it is no longer operational, it has been providing tours for “well over 50 years,” Mikesell said.

The mine runs 1,000-feet deep and has a temperature of 50 degrees. There are no restrooms underground and visitors are given hard hats. The trapped guests, some of whom were children, had water, chairs and blankets throughout the incident.

In a social media post, the local fire department said: “We are thrilled to hear all 12 people who were still inside the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine have been safely rescued.“We’re grateful for the work of all first responders who ensured the safety of those still inside. Our condolences go out to the family who lost a loved one tonight, please keep them in your prayers.”