European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 14, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes saturday May 14,1988 sole shuttle fuel Plant halts production for safety Check Henderson nov. A the Only remaining . Manufacturer of a crucial space shuttle fuel component announced a suspension in production until 11 can be shown the Fae Iory is Safe after explosions lev eled another Plant last week. Kerr my acc corp. Made thursday s announcement in the face of state pressure. Later in the Day the demolished Plant s operator said a leaking natural Gas line was responsible for the series of earthquake Force blasts on May 4, which killed two people injured 326 and caused an estimated s73 million in damage. The report by Pacific engineering and production co. Was challenged by Southwest Gas corp., which said the line ruptured after the explosions not before. Kerr Mccue said in would halt production of ammonium Preh Loranc an oxide ice Tor the solid fuel used in inc space shuttle and military rockets until an inde pendent inspection shows the Plant is sate Paul Gaines the company s director of governmental relations said he hoped production could resume within a few Days. A prolonged shutdown is not helpful to any of us Chain Essaid. He said inc company has already contracted with a safely consultant to study the Plant and the inspection could begin by monday Gaines said the plan will continue making other chemicals. Gov. Richard Bryan announced the shutdown after company officials agreed late thursday morning to the suspension. Bryan said Legal work was being pre pared to Force Kerr Mega to Hall production before it agreed to the shutdown. Local and slate officials had expressed outrage when the plan resumed production tuesday of ammonium porch Lorain particularly since Plant officials said last week thai they would wait in lil authorities determined the cause of the blast before reopening. Kerr Mcgee and Pacific were the Only two plants in the country to manufacture ammonium perchlorate and National aeronautics and space administration officials have said the explosion could delay the space shuttle program. Pacific engineering chairman Rcd Gibson said thursday that a Large natural Gas line passing through the Plant had been leaking for at least 30 minutes before the first fire broke out at his company s Plant and forced its shutdown. The massive Gas teak is believed to have saturated the Earth below inc paved surfaces of inc. Plant and to have ignited at the Point of Arian As a result of circumstances unrelated to Plant operations Gibson raid. All of the subsequent destructive events were caused by the Gas leak inc Gas fire and the Gas explosion he said. Angling for attention Greenpeace demonstrators Catry signs outside a san similar to actions in 20 other cities was an out fun Cusco Burger King restaurant calling for the growth of Greenpeace t nationwide demonstrations Chain to Stop using icelandic fish. The protest Gansl Iceland s continued Slaughter of whales. Stateside newspaper boy rescues woman from blazing car Franklin Tern