Dynamite discovery forces evacuation
About 200 workers were sent home when the future site of the Montage Hotel and Resort was evacuated about 10 a.m., said Park City spokeswoman Phyllis Robinson.
No homes were evacuated Monday. Most of the residences around the site, near 9100 Marsac Ave., were second homes and were empty with Deer Valley's off-season, she said.
The boxes of dynamite were believed to be remnants from an old mine in the area, Robinson said. The Daly-West Mine operated during the early 1900s, but it is unclear how long the explosives had been there, she said.
"We're all aware that this is a mining community," Robinson said. "There are 1,500 miles of tunnels that stretch underneath the city. You go skiing in Park City and Deer Valley, and old mining remnants are visible. It's part of our heritage. But this is one of those things you hope you never find."
A bomb squad was originally called in to assess the situation, and Layton Construction officials later decided to use a private contractor to remove the dynamite, said site manager Dave Rhoads.
The city's building inspectors were meeting with the company to decide how to handle the dynamite, Rhoads said. Two options were diluting the explosives or detonating them at the site.
Robinson said officials were expected to have a plan finalized by this morning, and Rhoads hoped to have crews back to work by the end of the week.
E-mail: afalk@desnews.com
You can be the first to comment on this story.