Company Faults Miner for Own Death in Idaho Tunnel Collapse

Hecla Mining Co. says a miner who died in a tunnel collapse at the Lucky Friday Mine in northern Idaho is partly responsible for his own death due to his own negligent and careless misconduct.

The company in court documents filed last week says 53-year-old Larry “Pete” Marek was not in his assigned work area when the accident occurred.

The Spokesman Review reports the company filed the documents in response to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Marek’s family in April. The family says the company put profits ahead of safety.

Marek was crushed to death in the cave-in more than a mile inside the mine on April 15, 2011. It took rescue workers nine days to dig out his body in the silver mine near Mullan, Idaho.