News
Criminal trials in hydroelectric plant deaths
Posted: Jun 20, 2011 7:04 AM by Kate Richards
Updated: Jun 20, 2011 8:12 AM
DENVER (AP) - The criminal trial over the deaths of five workers at a Colorado hydroelectric plant could be entering its final week.
Proceedings are set to resume in federal court on Monday in Denver, with lawyers for Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy and a subsidiary presenting their case.
The companies face five counts of violating federal safety regulations. Five workers from California died as a result of smoke inhalation when a fire trapped them inside a tunnel in
October 2007 near Georgetown, about 40 miles west of Denver.
Prosecutors rested their case last week.
They argue Xcel knew of workplace safety violations. The defense says a contractor violated the regulations and the deaths were an accident.
If convicted, each company would have to pay fines up to $2.5 million and be subject to strict post-conviction supervision.
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