Board rejects sabotage as cause of Sierra blast

WASHINGTON -- Dismissing a sabotage theory Wednesday, federal investigators placed blame on the Sierra Chemical Co. for two blasts that killed four workers and leveled its explosives plant just east of Sparks in January.

The investigators told the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board that a combination of human error, poor management and lax safety procedures most likely caused the Kean Canyon Plant to blow up in the early morning hours of Jan. 7.

The plant made explosive boosters that are used in the mining industry. Boosters provide the energy necessary to detonate less sensitive blasting material.

"Sierra provided more than 100 pages of documents and wanted us to consider a theory of sabotage," said Paul Hill, chairman of the CSB. "When our investigators looked at their report ... they were unable to find any factual evidence to support it."

Bruce Laxalt, attorney for Sierra Chemical, disputed the CSB's findings and said he thinks investigators disregarded facts gathered from their independent investigation. He said the CSB also rebuffed requests many times for face-to-face meetings with company representatives to discuss the explosion.

"We have gone to great efforts to offer our expert input to the board and they were not interested," Laxalt said. "They reached their results ... and we feel they are inaccurate as far as the cause of the blast."

After narrowing down four possible scenarios, the investigators said the cause of the explosion was probably due to friction from a mixing pot's blade that ignited volatile chemicals left overnight in a pot.

Another possibility investigators would not rule out was that chunks of the explosive materials were pinched between the mixer blade and pot wall causing the detonation.

Debris from the first blast, investigators said, most likely penetrated an adjacent building that housed highly flammable chemicals causing a second explosion.

Investigators said many essential elements of process safety and management were missing or deficient.

"Based on the evidence and testimony safety precautions were not being taken," Hill said.

Investigators also chastised the Department of Defense for selling recycled explosives materials that sometimes contained foreign objects and are dangerous to use.

The investigators' report is a preliminary draft and the final version is expected to be adopted within the next six weeks. Although the CSB has no power to enforce any of its recommendations, other state and federal agencies may use the recommendations to aid their investigations.

While not officially adopting the report, Hill described it as "very thorough," and said he is comfortable with its conclusions and recommendations.

Sierra Chemical, which is fighting a $997,000 fine from the Nevada Division of Industrial Relations because of 38 safety violations, has submitted construction plans to local authorities and plans on opening another explosive plant on the site, Laxalt said.

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