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SALT LAKE CITY — Fire investigators officially confirmed Tuesday that a massive four-alarm fire was an arson and damage to the structure is now estimated at $6 million.
The Feb. 9 blaze destroyed a 64,000-square-foot apartment building that was under construction at 540 E. 500 South.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Salt Lake Fire Department announced Tuesday that they completed their on-scene investigation and determined the cause was arson, but they declined to provide any other details about how they reached that conclusion.
The structure was declared a "total loss" and the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Tuesday that it is reviewing potential criminal charges.
Dustin Jay Bowman, 33, of Bountiful, remained in the Salt Lake County Jail Tuesday. He was booked late Friday for investigation of arson after he told investigators he intentionally started the fire, according to a jail report written by a fire investigator.
The ATF and fire department have declined to talk about a possible motive for setting the inferno. Neither agency will talk about Bowman, except to say that an arrest has been made.
Bowman apparently worked at the construction site. On what appears to be his Facebook page, he lists his occupation as an electrician and posted three photos labeled "downtown fire aftermath" the day after the blaze and included a link to a news story about it.
"Guess I'm not working Monday," one post states. "New House apartment complex construction burnt down. Anybody want to hire an electrician for a day or two? Maybe the boss has some temp power to hook up somewhere or something. Can't really afford a day off."
Damage to the building was initially estimated at $2.5 million, but that figure was increased to $6 million in damage on Tuesday.
