Seattle House Flippers Fined For Asbestos Violations: L&I

SEATTLE, WA - A Seattle-based house flipping company might pay nearly $800,000 in fines after improper handling of asbestos on a job site, state officials say. The asbestos violations endangered workers, according to state officials, and neighbors of a home under renovation.

According to the state Department of Labor and Industries, a neighbor living next to a home under renovation along Densmore Road in Lynnwood noticed workers removing suspected asbestos tiles. Two neighbors confronted a man named Chris Walters, who identified himself as the owner of the home, according to L&I. Walters told the neighbors he would begin removing the asbestos properly, but the neighbors later took video documenting continued improper asbestos removal.

L&I investigators found that the Lynnwood home had originally been bought by a Seattle company called Northlake Capital & Development. Ownership was then transferred to a company called 3917 Densmore LLC. Walters was an employee of Northlake, according to L&I.

L&I is fining Northlake, 3917 Densmore LLC, Walters, and Northlake owner James Thorpe for multiple violations.

"The violations included using un-certified workers to remove asbestos; not using a certified asbestos supervisor; and not obtaining an asbestos good faith survey prior to beginning work. They were also cited for not using water and not keeping the shingles intact during removal (the workers were breaking the tiles with hammers); for the lack of proper personal protective equipment for workers; not monitoring the air during removal; and for not having a written accident prevention program," L&I said in a press release.

The fines add up to $789,200. The companies can appeal the fines.

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