October 17th 2024.
In unfortunate news, the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Colorado has been ordered to temporarily halt all operations following a tragic incident that occurred last week. On October 10th, a tour guide, Patrick Weier, lost his life when an elevator malfunctioned while transporting 11 individuals down the mine shaft. The group was quickly rescued, but 12 others who were already underground were left stranded for nearly seven hours until they too could be brought to safety.
Due to these events, the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety has issued a cease and desist letter to the mine's owner, Dennis Lanning. In the letter, they have directed all tours to be stopped and access to the mine to be restricted to only local law enforcement and government agencies. This decision was made in the interest of public safety, as the incident has raised concerns about the mine's operations.
According to Teller County officials, the day of the incident was one of the mine's last days of the season, and the company had already announced on their website that they would be closed until further notice. The Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety has stated that the mine will not be allowed to reopen until a thorough review of their operations has been completed.
Before the elevator malfunction, previous inspection reports for the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine had been deemed satisfactory, with no violations or hazards observed. The mine was last inspected on August 29th. Additionally, state law requires mine operators to conduct daily safety inspections, and these records are kept by the mine owners.
The Denver Post has requested access to these inspection records, but the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety has not yet released them. The agency has stated that the delay is due to the fact that some of the reports had to be retrieved from state archives and converted into electronic versions.
It is important to note that the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is the only tourist mine in Colorado with an elevator and that these types of mines have a remarkably good safety record. However, the incident is currently being investigated by the U.S. Occupational and Safety Health Administration and the Teller County Sheriff's Office to determine the cause of the elevator malfunction.
As this story continues to develop, we will keep you updated. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for our crime news updates to receive the latest updates straight to your inbox. Our thoughts go out to all those affected by this tragic event.
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