Company fined more than $1M after explosion at plant in Newport

Published 5:22 pm Tuesday, January 12, 2016

SPOKANE — The state is fining an aerospace company more than $1.3 million for safety violations after an explosion injured 17 workers at a factory last July.

Zodiac Cabin &Structures Support has 15 days to appeal the ruling.

The explosion occurred at a carbon fiber production plant in Newport, which is about 50 miles north of Spokane.

The state Department of Labor &Industries on Tuesday said the explosion could have been prevented if Zodiac had used required safeguards to ensure that a curing oven was used safely.

The Newport plant has reopened. It makes plastics and other composite materials used in the production of airplane cabin interiors.