Colorado mine accident: Police announce one fatality and twelve trapped

Police confirmed one fatality after an accident that left people trapped in a 1000-foot-deep Colorado gold mine on Thursday, 10 October.

At least 12 others had to be rescued after being trapped for around six hours when an elevator malfunctioned at the tourist site, emergency services added.

Those trapped were about 1,000 feet (305 meters) below ground, but they had access to water and the atmosphere was considered good.

The elevator was descending into the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near the town of Cripple Creek when it had a mechanical problem around 500ft (150m) beneath the surface, creating a “severe danger for the participants,” Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said.