This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/05/us/oakland-fire-ghost-ship.html

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Oakland Warehouse Tenants to Be Charged Over Fire That Killed 36 2 Men Charged With Manslaughter in Deadly Oakland Fire
(about 1 hour later)
SAN FRANCISCO — Prosecutors will charge two tenants of the Oakland warehouse that was the site of a deadly fire in December with 36 counts each of manslaughter, a parent of the one of the victims said Monday. OAKLAND, Calif. — Two men were charged on Monday with 36 counts of manslaughter in a deadly fire that took place at an Oakland warehouse in December.
The tenants, Derick Almena, who had a supervisory role at the building, and Max Harris, were arrested on Monday in connection with the fire, according to a law enforcement official. The men, Derick Almena, who had a supervisory role at the building, and Max Harris, were arrested on Monday in connection with the fire, according to Nancy E. O’Malley, the district attorney of Alameda County, who brought the charges.
Mike Madden, the father of Griffin Madden, an up-and-coming D.J. who died in the fire, said he had been contacted by the office of Nancy E. O’Malley, the Alameda County district attorney, with word of the impending charges. Ms. O’Malley is expected to announce formal charges against the men at a news conference scheduled for later on Monday, said Teresa Drenick, a spokeswoman. The warehouse, which was illegally occupied by artists, was the site of the nation’s deadliest structural fire in more than a decade. Most of the victims were attending a party on the second floor and were unable to escape down a makeshift staircase.
The warehouse, which was illegally occupied by artists, was the site of the nation’s deadliest structural fire in more than a decade. Most of the 36 victims were attending a party on the second floor and were unable to escape down a makeshift staircase. The two men “knowingly created a fire trap with inadequate means of escape,” Ms. O’Malley said.
“The paying guests at the event were faced with a nearly impossible labyrinth,” she said. “The building had no fire suppression nor did it have lighted pathways to get out.”
Each man faces 39 years in prison, she added
Ms. O’Malley said the two men had deceived the fire department and the owner of the building.
As the master tenant, Mr. Almena had a managerial role among the residents of the warehouse, most of whom were artists seeking an affordable space in a city that has seen sharply rising housing costs in recent years.As the master tenant, Mr. Almena had a managerial role among the residents of the warehouse, most of whom were artists seeking an affordable space in a city that has seen sharply rising housing costs in recent years.
Mr. Madden said he was surprised that the owner of the building, Chor Nar Siu Ng, was not being charged. The father of one of the victims, Griffin Madden, said he was surprised that the owner of the building, Chor Nar Siu Ng, was not being charged.
“Our hope is that this aggressive approach continues including pursuing charges against her,” he said. “Our hope is that this aggressive approach continues including pursuing charges against her,” said the father, Mike Madden.
The warehouse, which occupants had dubbed the Ghost Ship, was one block from a fire station and firefighters responded within three minutes of receiving the 911 call on the night of Dec. 2. But the structure, which was filled with wooden antiques and curios, was quickly engulfed in flames and filled with a thick, choking smoke that rose to the second floor.
The party was held without any permit from the city.
The fire highlighted failures in Oakland’s fire inspection system as well as the scramble for affordable housing in the city.The fire highlighted failures in Oakland’s fire inspection system as well as the scramble for affordable housing in the city.
Mr. Harris, interviewed two days after the fire, had blamed the fire on an electrical system which he described as being in disarray. Efforts to have the owner update the system went unheeded, he said.
“We reached out on multiple occasions, complaining that the power wasn’t working,” Mr. Harris said at the time. “They made no attempt to make it right. The landlord was only interested in trying to collect money for electricity.”