Nevada Plant Hit by Blast Had 123 Citations

Federal officials have cited the Pacific Engineering plant in Henderson for 123 health and safety violations since 1974, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Wednesday.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration released the records after the newspaper requested them under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

Connie Richardson, a spokeswoman for the company, said Pacific Engineering would not comment.

The plant was destroyed May 4 in a series of blasts that killed two people, injured 326 and caused $74 million in property damage.

State officials have said the number of citations is moderate for a company of the size and activity of Pacific Engineering.

Meanwhile, President Reagan has turned down Nevada’s request for federal aid as a result of the explosion.

Gov. Richard Bryan said he was advised Wednesday that Reagan turned down the request 30 days after the governor made it, but no details were given. He added that a Federal Emergency Management Agency official said reasons would be given later.

Bryan said he will ask Reagan to reconsider his decision and also will appeal directly to the federal Small Business Administration to set up a loan program that could help businesses affected by the May 4 blast.

Mike Miller, a spokesman for Sen. Chic Hecht (R-Nev.), said the White House told Hecht that Nevada’s request for emergency disaster aid was turned down because private insurance covered most of the damage. Federal disaster relief cannot be given for damage covered by private insurance.

Also Wednesday, operators of a Kerr-McGee Corp. plant that is the country’s only remaining source of a critical rocket fuel oxidizer announced plans to resume production of the oxidizer next Monday. The Kerr-McGee facility had been shut down since May 12 after state officials threatened to sue the company for creating a public hazard.

The facility is adjacent to the site of the Pacific Engineering plant.