AeroTech officials criticize handling of blaze

Keith Paul

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 | 11:08 a.m.

Officials at a model rocket manufacturer questioned the way county firefighters handled a deadly blaze at the company's plant, saying quicker action could have prevented an explosion that destroyed the building.

AeroTech officials say the county's recently released report concerning the blaze that caused at least $10 million in damage failed to address the handling of a barrel of magnesium. The magnesium exploded several hours after water seeped into the barrel.

"There was a long period of time before anything was done" with the barrel of magnesium, said Mike Martens, AeroTech's director of marketing and sales. "We just don't understand the timing and the actions they took regarding the magnesium."

Martens said the reaction of water and magnesium isn't exotic and smothering the chemical with salt or sand would extinguish the danger.

"We feel the magnesium could have been handled differently with a better outcome," Martens said. "We do wonder why it took so long to deal with the magnesium -- a known risk. The most direct way of dealing with it would be to pour the sand or salt on it immediately."

AeroTech's questions are the latest in a spate of controversy over the fire. Earlier this week, the Sun reported that the county fire department report called the fire accidental, but fire investigators are asking the county prosecutor to review potential criminal charges of negligence against the company.

County Manager Thom Reilly called for the state fire marshal to review how the fire department handled the model rocket plant before, during and after the fire. Although Reilly expressed confidence in the initial internal review, there have been allegations of document shredding after the fire and questions about the frequency of fire department inspections of the plant.

Clark County Fire Chief Earl Greene said he welcomes the review and defended the department's actions.

"It was a very dangerous situation and we were making life and death decisions, and for people to Monday morning quarterback what we did is incorrect," he said.

Company officials said there was a delay in how the department handled the magnesium at the plant.

The fire started at AeroTech's model rocket plant on Palm Street, near St. Louis Avenue and Boulder Highway, about 12:20 p.m. Oct. 15. Three workers were injured in the initial fire; one worker later died from his injuries.

The department's log of the fire shows the hazardous team was called to the blaze at 12:30 p.m.

Firefighters had the fire out at 1:11 p.m., according to fire department records. At some point, water leaked into the barrel when the lid was not secure. Martens said he doesn't know how the lid was not secured, but he said employees in the plant at the time of the fire said they had put the lid on prior to the fire.

At 3:30 p.m. the water-soaked magnesium erupted another fire spreading throughout AeroTech and the connecting businesses.

Greene defended the way his firefighters handled the magnesium and said firefighters were monitoring the temperature of the magnesium and taking every precaution to neutralize it.

Firefighters called officials from Timet at 2:16 p.m. to come to the scene with materials to neutralize the water-reactive magnesium. As the firefighters and Timet people were about to enter the building, the barrel of magnesium exploded.

According to fire department records, the plant was inspected 10 times between 1988 and 1995, but none until 2000 and none in 2001 before the fire.

Martens said -- and the fire department agrees -- the inspections of AeroTech's operation yielded no serious or minor violations. So Martens said there is no series of safety violations or negligence that would warrant the fire department to ask prosecutors to determine if charges should be filed.

"We honestly don't understand why they would do that," he said. "From their own words, the fire was accidental and from their own inspections there isn't anything to warrant that action."

Greene said fire officials haven't made any determination that there was criminal neglect that contributed to the fire. That is the job of prosecutors and the investigation will be forwarded so the Clark County District Attorney's Office can review it.

AeroTech has moved the model rocket engine production plant to Cedar City, Utah. The plant should be open in a couple of months. The corporate offices and model rocket kit production will remain in Las Vegas for now, Martens said.

While no lawsuits have been filed, the legal process has already started. An attorney representing AeroTech sent notice of possible lawsuits being filed by the company against the county and the fire department and others.