
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 10, 1995                   TAG: 9510100102
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Short

FBI CHECKING DAMAGE AT ARSENAL

The FBI is investigating an incident at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant that damaged a production line and resulted in 28 employees being furloughed, officials said Monday.

FBI and internal investigators are trying to determine how a foreign object wound up in the manufacturing process Thursday, plant spokeswoman Nicole Kinser said. The damage was in the fourth-row powder section, she said.

Kinser declined to provide details or an estimate of the loss.

Sabotage has not been ruled out, according to plant officials.

The FBI was asked to investigate because the federal government owns the plant, Kinser said.

The plant manufactures propellant for military rockets and explosives.

Alliant Techsystems Inc. of Hopkins, Minn., operates the plant, which employs about 1,200 people.

The FBI office in Roanoke was closed Monday evening. The FBI office in Richmond said no one would be available to comment until today.

- Associated Press

Memo: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.

by CNB