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Show 4 i rwu fc-wwii OW Qty Files Charges Against Taf t Criminal charges were lodged on behalf of Park City Tuesday against Taft International Inter-national Pictures and two key employees for allegedly violating vio-lating municipal fire codes just prior to the destructive fire at the old Mt. Air Market Building February 3. The complaints were filed by City Prosecutor Terry Chriatiansen at the request of Chief Building Inspector Ron Ivie, and charge each of the three defendants with three separate fire code infractions. Because city ordinances were allegedly violated, the complaints were filed with City Justice Jim Kilby, who holds exclusive exclu-sive jurisdiction over the city's municipal codes. Named specifically in the complaints are: Taft International Interna-tional Pictures; Taft's Chief the potential dangers indisde the old market and at the time seriously considered shutting down the project. Both Ivie and Johnson were concerned about the flama-bility flama-bility of the polyurethane set and the deadly fumes emitted emit-ted when the substance bursn. They also shared concerns about exiting problems prob-lems posed by the tunnels of the movie set and by the fire retardent ceiling tiles which had been removed during construction. Because Taft had virtually completed construction of the expensive set and because be-cause they were only planning plan-ning to film inside the building for a short time, Ivie decided to negotiate with the movie company, rather than bring the project to a halt. At a meeting with Taft Officials, Ivie explained that the city would allow filming to begin inside the building only if certain stipulations were unconditionally agreed to. The conditions are as follows: That there be no open fires in the building at any time and no shooting of scenes involving a fire. That there be no smoking smok-ing in the buiolding, except in the foyer. That as many of the fire retardent ceiling tiles as possible re re-installed. That fire extinguishers be placed at strategic locations loca-tions within the building. That a hose be connected con-nected to an outside hydrant and kept readily accessible. And that City Fire Marshall Herb Johnson be on the set druing all filming to insure the other conditions were always lived up to. Taft initially agreed to all of the conditions but later took exception to Herb Johnson's required presence on the set during filming. They argued the $12 per hour they would have to pay Johnson represented an "unnecessary" expense, contending that the job could be done by their own security personnel. At a subsequent meeting, Taft's head of security Garth Wilkinson promised the city that he would be responsible for enforcing the conditions and would personally be on the set during all scheduled filming sessions. With this assurance, the city agreed that Herb Johnson's time would be best spent serving the city and not Taft International. Johnson did, however, make several unannounced inspections of the site during filmings and found everything every-thing in order. When the fire broke out February 3 it was apparent that at least two of the conditions had not been adhered to. An open fire had been set inside the building and Garth Wilkinson had not been present. The failure to meet all the conditions posed by Ron Ivie constitute the basis for the city's criminal action. Although Taft insists the "fire scene" was totally unauthorized and solely a "directorial staff decision", the city still contends they violated the city's fire codes. Immediately after the fire, city officials pledged to begin working on stricter fire codes and to take a hard line of offenders. Tuesday's criminal crimi-nal complaints are evidence the city plans to carry out that pledge. The defendants are or- dered to appear before Justice Kilby February 26 to enter pleas. Security Officer, Garth Wilkinson; Wilk-inson; and Chuck Sellier, Taft's top regional executive. The defendants were apparently appar-ently served with the complaints com-plaints late Tuesday. Each of the three are charged with: (1) permitting an open falme to be used in the place of public assemblage; assem-blage; (2) failure to employ or have on duty a standby fireman, pursuant to a previous agreement between Taft and Park City; and (3) using an open flame in such a manner as to create a fire or life hazard. The charges constitute class B misdemeanors which are punishable by a fine not more than $299 andor a jail sentence not to exceed six months. The Mt. Air Market Building, leased temporarily to Taft for use as a sound stage, was completely destroyed de-stroyed by fire on the morning of February 3 after a "special effect" went awry igniting a massive and highly flamable movie set housed inside the building. The set constituted similated mine tunnels used in filming "Boogens" a horror film about monsters living in an abandoned mine. . The "special effect" which was, according to Taft spokesmen, spokes-men, "completely unauthorized" unauthor-ized" was an explosion inside the mine simulated by pumping propane gas through copper tubing pierced with tiny holes. When ignited, the gas produced a "controlled flash" along the tubing which stretched throughout portions of the set. At least 21 Taft employees were in the building when the fire broke out and fortunately all escaped without with-out substantial injury. Six persons were treated at Park City Community Health Clinic Cli-nic for smoke inhalation and one for knee sprain sustained running from the burning building. More than two weeks before the fire, City Fire Marshall Herb Johnson made a cursory inspection of the movie set under construction con-struction and determined there existed a "substantial" "substan-tial" fire danger inside the building which in her terms posed a potentially "very serious" situation. Johnson reported his findings to Building Official Ron Ivie and together they made a more formal inspection. Ivie agreed with Johnson about |