Crews Work to Recover Bodies of 5 Hydroelectric Plant Workers ( West of Denver )

Fox News ^ | Wednesday, 03 Oct 2007, 10:30 AM MDT | unkown

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

GEORGETOWN, Colo.

 -- 

Five workers trapped at least 1,500 feet underground survived an initial chemical fire at a hydroelectric plant, but died before emergency workers could rescue them.

Investigators were trying to determine how they died, and the county coroner's office was working Wednesday to identify the workers, who were employed by a California contractor. Authorities had yet to remove the bodies from the tunnel.

Crews who entered from the bottom of the sloping tunnel to put out the fire discovered the bodies late Tuesday, Clear Creek County Undersheriff Stu Nay said.

They were among a group of nine contract maintenance workers in the tunnel at the Cabin Creek Hydro Station when a machine used to coat the inside of the 12-foot-wide pipe with epoxy caught fire, said Xcel Energy spokeswoman Ethnie Groves. Xcel did not release the name of the contractors' employer.

The contractors worked for  RPI Coating, a Santa Fe Springs, California-based painting, coating and fire-proofing services company.

"We're devastated over the loss," said Marc Dyer, a spokesman for RPI Coating. "They were very experienced guys. They were some of our best."

Dyer said the company was still contacting family members and did not release names of survivors.

The incident was originally described as an explosion but officials later said it was a fire.

Exactly what burned is still under investigation, Xcel spokesman Mark Stutz said Wednesday.

[Sun]

So sad. I thought they would be able to rescue them.

Prayers for the workers and their families and friends.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Yesterdays News:

Explosion at Power Plant Traps 5 Workers (workers were not saved--see #23)

Workers were working for RPI Coating a Southern California company.....