The Clear Creek County coroner’s office has determined that five painters killed last week during a fire in a pipeline above Georgetown died from asphyxiation caused by smoke inhalation.
The five men, employees of RPI Coatings Inc. of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., died Oct. 2 when an epoxy coating they were spraying on the inside of water pipes ignited.
Four other workers, who were downhill from the flames, ran about 1,500 feet to the other end of the 4,000-foot pipe and escaped.
Xcel Energy owns the pipe used to power a hydroelectric turbine on the north side of Guanella Pass above Georgetown.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the cause of the fire, along with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
