US: 1 dead, 12 trapped underground in Colorado gold mine
Los Angeles: One person is dead and 12 others are trapped 1,000 feet (305 meters) underground inside a gold mine in the US state of Colorado due to an equipment failure, local officials have said.
The individuals were part of a tour group and became stuck near the bottom of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, Teller County of Colorado, around Thursday noon, Xinhua news agency reported, citing officials.
The incident was caused by equipment malfunction, according to a post from the Teller County Sheriff’s Office.
Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said one person has died in the incident, and 12 people are stuck in the mine shaft.
Eleven others have been rescued, including two children, he said.
Mikesell said the 12 people stuck underground are safe. Rescue teams are working on to get them out Thursday night.
Elevator and mine safety experts are on site to inspect the elevator’s safety before it is used to bring those trapped up to the ground, according to Mikesell.
Multiple agencies, including search and rescue teams, are responding to the incident with heavy equipment.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis said the state is assisting Teller County and sending resources to rescue the people trapped inside the mine. “We will do everything possible and assist the county to ensure a speedy and safe resolution of the situation,” Polis said in a statement.
The mine is a popular tourist destination near Cripple Creek, Colorado.