Rocket plant was cited for minor violations

Jace Radke

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001 | 9:35 a.m.

A model-rocket company destroyed by fire last month had been cited for only minor violations during its 14-year history, Clark County Fire Department records show.

Since AeroTech opened in October 1987, at 1955 S. Palm St. near Boulder Highway and St. Louis Avenue, fire inspectors noted problems such as the need for additional exit signs and fire extinguishers and the need to remove nonapproved electrical cords and plugs.

AeroTech spokesman Mike Martens said the company took care of any violations found by inspectors.

"I'm not aware of any major violations, and we worked to quickly take care of any problems that were found," Martens said. "We were in compliance."

The plant on Oct. 15 was the site of several explosions that forced hundreds of residents to be evacuated from their homes. AeroTech and its sister-company, Industrial Solid Propulsion -- which was also destroyed -- were next door to each other in an industrial complex.

Avelino Corpuz, an employee at the plant, suffered second- and third-degree burns in the explosion. He died from his injuries on Oct. 26.

The companies were storing an estimated 3,300 pounds of materials used to produce rocket fuel, including about 2,500 pounds of ammonium perchlorate.

State law, which mirrors federal law, requires a permit if the amount of ammonium perchlorate stored exceeds 7,500 pounds.

According to fire department records released Monday, in 1988 Industrial Solid Propulsion was cited by the Nevada Department of Industrial Relations for not having a hazardous occupancy rating while storing ammonium perchlorate. According to uniform building codes at the time, a company did not need a hazardous occupancy rating as long as it wasn't storing more than 1,000 pounds of ammonium perchlorate.

An investigation by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health in 1998 showed that the company was storing less than 1,000 pounds of ammonium perchlorate.

In 1995 a small fire began on a table in the mix propellant room of the plant, but was extinguished by an employee. No one was injured in the fire.

After the 1995 fire an inspector requested that AeroTech reduce the amount of ammonium perchlorate in its storage room to fewer than 1,000 pounds. Fire department spokesman Steve La-Sky said that he didn't know why an inspector would put that limit on the company, or how much of the chemical the company was storing at the time of the fire six years ago.

Fire officials had told the Sun that AeroTech had been inspected about six months ago, but a department spokesman said the last inspection actually occurred Oct. 4, 2000, when inspectors cited the need for additional fire extinguishers.

AeroTech wants to build a new rocket propellant plant, Martens said.

"It may be in Nevada or perhaps out of state," Martens said. "We will continue to be very open and comply with all laws and regulations."