DENVER—The criminal trial over the deaths of five workers at a Colorado hydroelectric plant has reached the half-way point.
There were no proceedings in the trial Friday, a day after prosecutors rested their case against Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy and a subsidiary.
The trial is set to resume Monday, with the defense presenting its evidence.
Xcel and Public Service Company of Colorado 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.
A defense attorney said 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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Information from: The Denver Post,
