A tour guide has died after visitors were trapped in a 1,000-foot-deep gold mine in Colorado. What happened?

A tour guide was identified Friday as the person killed when an elevator malfunctioned at a former Colorado gold mine, trapping a dozen visitors 1,000 feet underground for about seven hours, authorities said.

The group of tourists was halfway to the bottom of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in the town of Cripple Creek when the unspecified mechanical failure occurred shortly before noon on Thursday in what is normally a two-minute drive. .

Ten tourists, including two children, were quickly rescued from the elevator, with four receiving treatment for minor injuries, according to Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell. An 11th person in the elevator, identified Friday as tour guide Patrick Weier, 46, died. The aspiring volunteer firefighter leaves behind a 7-year-old child, Cripple Creek Mayor Annie Durham said at a news conference.

After the elevator malfunctioned, a separate group of 12 people – who were waiting at the bottom with another tour guide – remained trapped inside the mine for several hours.

As of Thursday afternoon, Mikesell said the 12 people trapped in the shaft had access to water and maintained contact with authorities above ground via two-way radio before the lift was restarted.

An investigation has been launched into the deadly incident, according to Mikesell, who said rescuers were ready to hoist stranded guests to the surface using ropes if they were unable to get the elevator working again. The cause is believed to be a mechanical problem involving a door malfunction, which is now being investigated, officials said Friday.

The situation, which was successfully ended Thursday night, created a “grave danger” for those trapped in the mine, Mikesell said.

“I am relieved that 12 of the people trapped in the Mollie Kathleen mine were safely rescued,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement after the ordeal. “Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the individual lost in this incident.”

This week would be the mine’s last before the season closes. On Friday, the mine website informed visitors: “Mollie Kathleen recently experienced a tragic event. We would like to send our prayers and condolences to everyone involved. We would also like to thank all the first responders and emergency teams who helped us through such a difficult time. Mollie Kathleen will be closed until further notice.”

Although the mine is no longer operational, it has been offering tours for “more than 50 years,” Mikesell said. On Friday, he described the family who run the mine as a tourist attraction as “good people” and said the incident was “just a very tragic event that occurred.”

The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine offers visitors the opportunity to “Experience the ‘Wild West’ as it was for the gold miners of the ‘World’s Largest Gold Field’”. The one-hour tour costs $30 for adults and $18 for children. A section on the attraction’s “Need to Know” page is labeled “Claustrophobia” and notes that “the ride itself is not claustrophobic, but the descent into the shaft is very close for 2 minutes (each way).” However, he adds encouragingly: “You can do it (!)”

All mines in the state that accept tourists must be inspected daily for “adequate ventilation, ground conditions and control, electrical hazards, general mine hazards, etc.,” according to the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety.

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