Colorado Man Dies in "Family-Owned" Tourist Mine: Capitalism at Work!

So, buckle up, folks! Colorado authorities have finally identified the person who died in a former gold mine, now a tourist attraction, because of course it's a tourist attraction.

Patrick Weier, a tour guide at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, died after being trapped for several hours underground on Thursday. Why, you ask? Well, the elevator malfunctioned. Shocker, right?

Around noon, the elevator at this gold mine near Cripple Creek had mechanical issues that "created a severe danger for the participants," according to Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell. A group of tourists were then trapped at the bottom of the mine, which is about 1,000 feet deep. Because who doesn't love being stuck in a deep, dark hole?

State and local authorities rescued 11 people, including two children and four with minor injuries, using a trolley system. Meanwhile, the remaining 12 people, including Weier, were stuck for about six hours. Cozy!

Mikesell confirmed that the other victims have minor injuries. Teller County Commissioner Dan Williams dramatically stated, “Teller County has about 30,000 people... The community this gentleman came from has less than 400 people in it. The neighboring town of Cripple Creek has about 1200 people in it. Just let that sink in for a minute. This is a county tragedy. This is a Colorado tragedy.” Yes, because rural areas don't matter unless someone dies.

Authorities Investigate Elevator Malfunction: Shocking, I Know

An in-depth investigation is underway to determine what caused the elevator to malfunction. Shockingly, elevators aren't infallible, particularly in mines owned by "good people."

“We know that at 500 feet is where the issue occurred. We know that there was some type of an incident with the doors, and at that point, something went wrong," Mikesell said. "We don't know what caused that. We don't know how it happened.”

Mikesell added that the elevator space is limited, fitting about four to six people. “Really we don't know at the 500-foot level whether it dropped or didn't drop. Some of the reports we had in the initial that had dropped, it may have bound, but really we don't know.”

The sheriff also assured us that the mine is a family-owned business. “This family that runs that mining operation, or that tourist operation, they're good people,” he said. “They've been doing it for, I believe, 60 years, and this was just a very tragic event that occurred.” Because nothing says "good people" like a malfunctioning elevator in a deep mine.

Remembering Patrick Weier: "Good People" Doing Good Things

Tributes are pouring in for Patrick Weier, remembered as a devoted dad to a 7-year-old boy. A GoFundMe has been created to help raise money for his son’s future.

“Every contribution no matter how small will make a big difference," Weier’s brother John wrote. "We appreciate your kindness and generosity and helping us honor my brother's memory by caring for the most important part of his legacy."

Those who knew Weier took to Facebook to remember him as a “great daddy.” Other tributes on social media called him a “hero,” and a "light in a dark, dark world."

Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.