RENO, Nev. (AP) — Federal safety regulators are blaming the death of a worker at a gold mine in northeast Nevada on the negligent failure of Newmont USA and its tire contractor to take adequate steps to protect employees from toxic chemicals.

Joe Ashdown, 21, of Roseburg, Ore., died Oct. 28, when he was overcome by hazardous vapors from a chemical solvent while fixing a nearly 12-foot tall tire for a giant mining dump truck at a Newmont mine in Carlin, about 275 miles east of Reno.