State fines company whose workers were killed in St. Paul sewer flood

(AP) - The state Occupational Safety and Health Division has fined the company that employed two workers who were swept away and died in St. Paul's storm sewers during a heavy downpour last summer.

OSHA says Lametti & Sons committed five safety violations, and fined them $106,000. A spokesman for the Hugo-based company denied that officials intentionally disregarded employee safety.

Workers Dave Yasis and Joe Harlow were working in a sewer shaft in late July when a sudden downpour swamped the sewer and swept their bodies into the Mississippi River, where they were later found.

The company has contested OSHA's findings, and next up is a conference between the company and the agency to try to reach a settlement.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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