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SALT LAKE CITY — Nearly four years after the July 2020 fire at the Broadway Hotel in Tooele, a hotel owner man has been indicted on three Clean Air Act Violation charges related to the demolition of the charred structure, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The document states that Daniel J. Brett, 68, of Murray, knew of asbestos being used in the building's construction since September 2011, when an "Environmental Site Assessment was performed by a third party."
Brett is a businessman and part owner of a company that owned Broadway Hotel, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Following the fire that necessitated the hotel's demolition, Brett received bids for its demolition. The U.S. Attorney's office said Brett and his business partner ignored "the fact the hotel contained asbestos in numerous locations, including in its thermal system/boiler insulation, wall plaster, rolled vinyl flooring and roofing materials," according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The hotel owners selected a bidder to perform the demolition. The U.S. Attorney's Office says that throughout the demolition, "two individuals at the excavation company performed the demolition without self-contained breathing apparatus and protective suits and other protective equipment," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
At the time the hotel caught fire, it was surrounded by a residential and mixed-use neighborhood, with three primary schools located within a half of a mile.
"The emergency removal action ultimately required the clean-up and proper disposal of 3,330 tons of asbestos-containing debris, which cost the EPA approximately $1.1 million," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 14.
Contributing: Matt Brooks
