Tourists stranded underground at Arizona’s Grand Canyon Caverns are back on surface

The tourists who had become stuck about 200 feet underground at the Grand Canyon Caverns in Peach Springs, Arizona, on Sunday when an elevator malfunctioned have all been brought back to the surface with the help of local fire departments.

According to Seligman Fire Chief Gary Bennett, six people had become stranded at the tourist site after an elevator stopped working around noon on Sunday, including a family of four with two young children, and a second couple.

Firefighters with the Seligman Fire District were able to help the family of four up the approximately 21 flights of stairs to the surface between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on Sunday evening.

According to Bennett, the husband of the second couple was also able to take the stairs to the surface, but decided to return to the cavern to stay with his wife at the motel suite located at the bottom of the caverns on Sunday night until the elevator became operational again. 

That couple took the elevator back to the surface on Monday.

The Seligman Fire District was assisted in the operation by the Ash Fork Fire Department and the Peach Springs Fire Department.