Surprise Snag: Mine Elevator Trouble in Colorado

You won’t believe what happened at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Colorado! An elevator ride turned into a scary adventure for 25 tourists. The elevator had a hiccup around 500 feet below the surface. Sadly, one person didn't make it back up. Four others got hurt, but nothing too serious. Eleven people were rescued quickly, while 12 more were stuck at the bottom for about 6 hours. They had water and radios to stay in touch with rescuers. The sheriff’s office said they didn’t know when the last safety check was done, and records weren’t available online.

Experts say elevators at mines are super safe. They have special devices to stop them from falling if a cable breaks. The mine’s website mentioned changes to the elevator in 1988, adding a second one and a new motor. Rescuers had to test the elevator by sending it down empty before bringing everyone up in groups. The incident happened during the mine’s last week of the season before closing for winter.

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