Nevada lawmakers review Vegas Loop fire safety complaints and withdrawn fines
Iain Hoey
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Fire safety under review in Nevada’s Vegas Loop hearing
Nevada lawmakers held a hearing examining alleged workplace and environmental violations linked to the Vegas Loop tunnel system in Las Vegas, including claims related to fire safety.
AP News reported that much of the session focused on how Nevada’s enforcement agencies handled complaints against the Boring Company, the Elon Musk-owned firm behind the project.
The Vegas Loop opened in 2021 and provides free rides around the Las Vegas Convention Center, with paid trips to some hotels, casinos and the airport.
The Boring Company is approved to build 68 miles (109.44 kilometres) of tunnels and 104 stations across Las Vegas over the coming years.
Democratic Assemblymember Howard Watts told The Associated Press: “I think they are a company that acts like they are kind of above the law and want to play by their own set of rules.”
Fire safety fines withdrawn after agency review
AP News reported that Nevada withdrew more than $425,000 in fines linked to a May 2025 training incident in which two firefighters received chemical burns at a Vegas Loop site.
Salli Ortiz, legal counsel for the state agency, told lawmakers that the original Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports contained mistakes and anomalies that would have made the penalties difficult to defend.
Inspection documents showed that the two firefighters chose not to wear a second layer of protective clothing during the drill.
The same reports stated that the Boring Company held six safety meetings with the fire department before the exercise.
Kris Sanchez, director of Nevada’s Department of Business and Industry, rejected claims that political pressure influenced the decision to drop the fines, telling lawmakers Tuesday: “The idea that there is external pressure that is swaying my decision making, or our division’s decision making, or that there’s any pressure that comes from me as a result of pressure from on high is incorrect.”
Other complaints, incidents and next steps
AP News said that between 2020 and 2026, 17 complaints were filed with Nevada OSHA about the Vegas Loop project.
One complaint led to an inspection that proposed eight citations, including claims that 15 to 20 workers were burned by accelerants and that no showers were available for decontamination.
Several complaints remain open.
The Boring Company has paid nearly $600,000 in fines, mostly to a local water reclamation district for discharging untreated wastewater, and is contesting around $355,000 in additional penalties with Nevada OSHA and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.
Watts highlighted a September 2025 incident in which a worker suffered a crushing injury after being pinned between two 4,000-foot pipes inside a tunnel, requiring firefighters to use a crane to extract him.
In a September statement, the company said it was investigating the incident and that employee safety was a priority.
Watts indicated that lawmakers may propose legislation next year to speed up how violations are assessed and contested.
The hearing left unresolved tensions between how Nevada enforces safety rules and how the Vegas Loop continues to operate and expand.