TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — It’s been one year, nearly to the day, since one man was killed and 12 people were trapped for hours 1,000 feet underground at a Teller County tourist attraction. Now, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that new oversight could be coming for the tourist mine industry.
State officials say that new, proposed rules would require that tourist mine elevators have a certification of operation. Additionally, it would increase the number of inspections required for the elevators. Mine operators would also face stricter requirements for maintaining documents and records, Colorado DNR officials say. There would also be changes to requirements for communications systems in place at tourist mines.
On Oct. 10, 2024, an elevator malfunction at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine killed a tour guide while 11 people were stuck about halfway down the elevator shaft. Those 11 were able to be pulled to safety, though 12 others remained at the bottom of the mine for hours…