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Teen Won't Face Charges After Being Rescued From Mine

GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) - A Golden High School student will not face charges after rescue crews worked for about 3 hours Monday night to get him out of a mine shaft.

The 17-year-old teen was exploring an abandoned mine in the Golden Fire Brick Company's fire clay quarry, which was an active mine in the 1920s. The mine shaft is located along Jesse Lane near Golden Gate Canyon Road and Highway 93.

At about 6 p.m. officials say a friend called 911 to report that the teen had gotten stuck on a ledge inside the mine after some of the ground gave out.

During the rescue effort the teen was talking to rescue crews until they were able to reach him. He was not injured.

Golden city spokeswoman Karlyn Tilley described the rescue effort as a "confined space technical rescue."

More than 20 people were involved with the rescue attempt.

"This was a slow and calculated technical rescue. The victim was approximately 400 feet into the mine shaft," Tilley said in a prepared statement.

Tilley said city parks officials on Tuesday were studying the property where the teens found the mine shaft entrance and will come up with a plan to secure the mine openings.

Authorities say anyone who spots an entrance to abandoned mine shaft should not go in and should consider reporting the discovery to the offices of the city or county where it was found.

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