A tourist group was trapped, and at least one member of the party was killed, Thursday afternoon in a closed Colorado gold mine that now operates as a tourist site.

Besides the fatality, another 12 people were still trapped near the bottom of the Molly Kathleen Mine in Cripple Creek.

Teller Counter Sheriff Jason Mikesell said all the people still trapped underground are safe and that rescue teams hope to get them all out by the end of the day Thursday. He said 11 other people, including two children, already have been rescued by late afternoon.

UCHealth hospital said it had treated six people in the accident and promptly released three of them.

An equipment failure happened around noon MDT, ABC News reported.

However the office of Democratic Gov. Jared Polis did say that the 1,000-foot-deep mine, which closed in the 1960s, had not collapsed outright.

Heavy equipment and rescue teams have been deployed at the former gold mine.

“We will do everything possible and assist the county to ensure a speedy and safe resolution of the situation,” Mr. Polis said.

• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.