TELLER COUNTY — More than 10 people are trapped 1,000 feet down, and 11 others have been rescued following an equipment malfunction at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, according to the Teller County Sheriff's Office.
The mine is located east of Cripple Creek.
According to the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), they are also responding to this incident. They say they received the call around 1:30 p.m.
According to the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour website, the mine closed in the 1960s, however, mine tours were doing well at the time and so a decision was made to continue the tours.
Revenue from the tours are used to maintain the mine and ensure it is in “safe operable mining condition,” the website reads. One-hour walking tours are offered seasonally.
The tours are open from May through the second weekend in October. It’s not clear if the people who are trapped were on a tour.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis released the following statement regarding this incident:
“I have spoken to the Teller County Sheriff and County Commissioners and will stay in touch through the course of this rescue effort. The state is assisting Teller County and sending resources to rescue those inside the mine. We will do everything possible and assist the county to ensure a speedy and safe resolution of the situation.”
This is a developing story. News5 has a crew heading to the scene and will update this web story as we learn more.
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