CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo — A gold mine that caters to tourists in Cripple Creek has been ordered to stop giving tours while the state investigates the site after a deadly accident on Oct. 10.
Patrick Weier, 46, a tour guide with the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, was killed when there was an issue with the mine elevators' doors, the Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said during a news conference last Friday.
The Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) sent a cease and desist letter Thursday morning to the mine's owner prohibiting them from leading mine tours until the state agency's operational review and investigation are complete.
The mine had undergone its last inspection on Aug. 29 of this year, the DRMS said. The reports were satisfactory, and no violations or hazards were found, the agency said.
The Teller County Sheriff's Office and OSHA are handling the investigation into what happened that led to Weier's death.
A copy of the state's cease and desist letter is below.