Person killed in Colorado mine elevator malfunction ID’d as tour guide

DENVER – A man killed when a mine elevator malfunctioned approximately 500 feet underground at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near Cripple Creek, Colorado, was a tour guide and local resident, Teller County sheriff’s officials said Friday.

Patrick Weier, 46, of Victor, died after an elevator equipment malfunction around noon Thursday, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said at a briefing.

Weier is survived by his 7-year-old son, Victor Mayor Barbara Manning said.

The sheriff’s office is still investigating the incident and investigators don’t know what caused the elevator to malfunction, Mikesell said.

Initial reports indicate something went wrong with the elevator doors, he said.

The elevator was descending when the malfunction happened, and the elevator operator on the surface stopped the descent after realizing something was wrong and recalled the car.

It’s not clear if the elevator dropped during the malfunction, Mikesell said.

Weier was with 11 people on the elevator as it descended, and the group was rescued from the elevator shortly after it malfunctioned. Another 12 people, including one tour guide, were stuck 1,000 feet underground in the mine shaft for nearly seven hours Thursday.

The case is also being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Weier was well-respected and active in his community, Manning said at the briefing. Victor has approximately 400 year-round residents and is 4 miles from Cripple Creek, which has a population of 1,200.

“I know in Victor everybody will be in mourning when they realize who it is,” she said.

Weier had recently received his firefighting certification and planned to become a volunteer firefighter, Cripple Creek Mayor Annie Durham said.

Mine officials said the attraction is closed until further notice in a statement on its website acknowledging the incident.

Mikesell on Friday praised the tour company owners for their help during the emergency and said he hopes the mine reopens after officials make sure it’s safe.

“This family that runs that tourist operation, they’re good people. They’ve been doing it for at least 60 years and this was just a tragic event,” Mikesell said.

This was the last weekend the mine was scheduled to be open for the season, according to Mikesell.

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources did not provide inspection records for the Mollie Kathleen mine elevator on Friday.