Colorado DNR releases inspection report into Mollie Kathleen mine
TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - On Thursday the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety released the inspection report for the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine.
In October, the mine had a fatal accident that left one man dead and resulted in the rescue of 23 people in total from the mine.
The Teller County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) announced Wednesday that the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near Cripple Creek is now able to resume operations for the 2025 tourist season. The TCSO states that their investigation found that the elevator incident was caused by an operator error.
The inspection report by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety says that inspectors found Mollie Kathleen to be "satisfactorily compliant," and say there is no imminent or substantial danger to the public or employees.
It should be noted that their inspection was not an investigation into the fatal accident, but rather the condition and safety of the mine following the accident.
Inspectors noted that the mine met several important criteria. At the time of inspection, they had fire extinguishers working, had a working communication system, and also had proper ventilation.
However, inspectors also noted that several ladder rungs were damaged. Some survivors of the incident told KRDO13 they climbed several ladders to get to the surface and call 911. The report indicates that the broken ladder rungs have been addressed.
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One woman, who was in one of the two elevator carts that were a part of the initial call for service spoke with KRDO13 Investigates Wednesday afternoon.
As their carts descended, she said there were about 10-15 seconds of smooth riding, before the elevator began shaking erratically, and then their cart went into free-fall for a few seconds. She says they then jolted and ground to a halt by emergency brakes.
It was then, after they came to a stop, she believed the shaft was collapsing, or that a rock had fallen onto the top of their cart, however she realized it was the body of the man who died in the incident, 46-year-old Patrick Weier.
KRDO13 Investigates has asked the TCSO whether the "operator error" in question was Weier's error, or if it was an error made by someone else. They responded saying they weren't able to give us that information.
