On Monday, authorities arrested the “master tenant” and the creative director of the illegally-converted Oakland warehouse, known as the “Ghost Ship,” where a large fire took the lives of 36 people in December. The two were charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Master Tenant Derick Almena, 47, and the art space’s creative director, Max Harris (also known as Max Ohr), 27, “knowingly created a fire trap … then filled that area with human beings and now face the consequences of their actions,” Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said Monday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Both men reportedly face 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter and up to 39 years in prison. Almost all of the deceased died of smoke inhalation. Firefighters rescued 15 people.
However, a longtime friend of the Almenas and a former resident of the Ghost Ship told Breitbart News that he thinks authorities are using Almena as a “scapegoat.”
An unstable staircase, made of wooden pallets, was the warehouse’s sole exit.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Assistant District Attorney Teresa Drenick said the cause of the fire will likely remain undetermined. She reportedly also would not reveal whether anyone else, including building owner Chor N. Ng, would face charges.
Investigators had initially suggested the fire was electrical in nature. However, the fire reportedly destroyed most of the evidence investigators needed to determine what started the deadly blaze.
Some of the victims’ family members reportedly filed civil lawsuits against Almena, Harris, and Ng. According to the Chronicle, they have also brought suit against Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
According to the Chronicle and the East Bay Times, it was just two years before Friday’s Oakland warehouse fire that an Alameda civil grand jury report showed the fire department failed to inspect more than one-third of the city’s 12,000 commercial properties. Those properties are reportedly supposed to be examined annually.
The “Ghost Ship” was filled with furniture and artwork and had no fire alarms or sprinklers installed. Although inspectors had visited the warehouse, they were unable to gain access. Some have argued that they did not follow up properly to ensure the inspection was completed.
The Chronicle previously reported that under California law, cities are required to inspect businesses and large residential structures for fire hazards and other safety dangers.
Instead, Doré suggested the fire started because of the “chop shop in the back.” And he also said he believes a little-discussed meth lab that was located close to the paint shop may have exacerbated the fire. “No one wants to talk about it. It was a firestorm that blew threw the building. The authorities are saying it’s an electrical fire but no electrical fire does that.” He suggested: “It had to be chemical. They’re hiding the fact that the fire probably came from outside the space. The paint shop, where they painted cars, is full of combustible materials. It is next to the ghost ship.”
Doré added: “The city has its way of blaming others when they’re not doing their job. There is mayhem in Oakland. … The Oakland Police Department has been taken over by the federal government three times because they are so corrupt.”
Doreé also provided an exclusive copy of a letter he sent to one of Almeda’s attorney’s. Part of that letter reads: “Derick needs to be admonished. He would feed anyone out of generosity he was not rich nor was he using the space to become rich. I hope my insight helps you build a real defense against the tyranny of Oakland corruption.”
Adelle Nazarian is a politics and national security reporter for Breitbart News. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.