Plant Explodes Near Reagan Landing Area

An explosion ripped through a chemical plant less than a mile from where President Reagan’s plane was to land Tuesday, killing one worker and injuring 23 others, authorities said.

The explosion at the Port Elizabeth plant occurred 75 minutes before Reagan arrived at nearby Newark International Airport. A state police helicopter in the security detail was diverted to take victims to the hospital, but the President’s tour of northern New Jersey was not disrupted.

Authorities said the blast occurred on the third floor of the Ausimont U.S.A. Inc. plastics manufacturing plant on the grounds of Allied-Signal Inc.’s plant. The cause of the explosion was under investigation.