The fire that destroyed the old Rick Warner Ford building in downtown Salt Lake City was intentionally set, Salt Lake fire investigators and the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms announced Friday.
The Feb. 16 blaze destroyed structures at 47 W. 600 South. Officials said there are no suspects at this time."The first phase is completed," said Charles Stanfill, supervisor of the 15-member ATF team. "We're leaving the investigation to Salt Lake authorities.
The fire was started in several spots, rather than a single point of origin, officials said.
The effort now becomes a criminal investigation. Site examination is concluded, and additional interviews and background checks will be the focus.
Stanfill's team, including personnel who investigated last year's bombing at the World Trade Center, left Salt Lake City on Friday for their North Carolina office.
Investigators, including members of the Salt Lake Police Department and Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, logged more than 1,500 hours in examining the site, analyzing evidence and interviewing people. The collapsed roof and recent snowstorm delayed the investigation by several days.
The blaze caused more than $1 million in damage to the 50,000-square-foot structure and took nearly six hours to extinguish. The converted complex had been used by Little America Hotel to store new and used room furnishings.