A view of the area from a small hotel that was covered by mud after a tailings dam owned by Brazilian mining company Vale SA collapsed, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 30, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian miner Vale SA VALE3.SA hired law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP to organize an investigation into a deadly dam burst last week that likely killed hundreds of people in Brazil, the company said in a securities filing on Thursday.

Vale said that the law firm would select investigators to look into the causes of the disaster and could provide legal opinion based on their conclusions. Communication with the firm and the findings of the chosen investigators will be covered by attorney-client privilege, according to the filing.