Deadly elevator malfunction at Colorado gold mine deemed ‘operator error’ after inspection

October’s deadly elevator malfunction at a Colorado gold mine that trapped 23 people and killed one was caused by an “operator error,” according to a Wednesday Facebook post from the Teller County Sheriff’s Office.

Inspectors with the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety deemed the accident was not attributable to “current mine practices or equipment malfunctions” after their safety inspection of the Mollie Kathleen Mine concluded in December 2024. The case has been closed as an accidental death.

The inactive mine — located near Cripple Creek and operating as a tourist attraction — became the site of a deadly elevator malfunction on Oct. 10, 2024, when one person was killed and 23 tourists and company employees were trapped 1,000 feet underground for hours while descending into the mine. The deceased was later identified as 46-year-old tour guide Patrick Weier.

Officials placed a cease-and-desist order on the Mollie Kathleen Mine in October following the accident, which prohibited it from reopening until the investigation was complete.

Teller County Sheriff’s Office officials announced Wednesday that the order had been lifted, meaning the mine has permission to reopen in May for the 2025 tourist season. State mining inspectors determined that the Mollie Kathleen tourist mine met regulations and that “no imminent or substantial danger to the public or employees exists.”