Ghost Ship warehouse fire facts for kids
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| Date | December 2, 2016 |
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| Time | 11:20 p.m. (PST) |
| Venue | Ghost Ship |
| Location | 1305 31st Avenue Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Type | Fire |
| Cause | Unknown, possibly electrical failure |
| Deaths | 36 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 2 |
| Accused | Derick Almena, Max Harris |
| Charges | 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter |
| Trial | April 30, 2019 – July 31, 2019 |
| Verdict | Almena – guilty Harris – acquitted |
The Ghost Ship warehouse fire was a fire that occurred in a former warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, California, that had been converted into an artist collective with living spaces. The fire occurred on December 2, 2016, at approximately 11:20 p.m. PST. At the time, the warehouse was hosting a concert featuring artists from the house music record label 100% Silk. The warehouse was only zoned for industrial purposes and residential and entertainment uses were illegal.
Of the 80 to 100 people attending the concert, 36 were killed, making it the deadliest fire in the history of Oakland. It was also the deadliest building fire in the United States since The Station nightclub fire in 2003, the deadliest in California since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the deadliest mass-casualty event in Oakland since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
The Alameda County District Attorney's office launched an investigation into the fire's causes, and in 2017 charged Ghost Ship's master tenant Derick Almena and his assistant Max Harris with felony involuntary manslaughter. In 2018, both pleaded no contest to thirty-six counts of involuntary manslaughter in a plea bargain with prosecutors, but the judge overseeing the case discarded the plea deals and the pair were put on trial, facing up to 36 years in prison. On September 4, 2019, the jury deadlocked 10-2 for conviction on the 36 counts manslaughter charges against Almena, resulting in a mistrial, while Harris was acquitted on all 36 counts. In 2021, Almena pled guilty to the 36 counts of manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in prison and released on time served.
In July 2020, the City of Oakland settled a civil lawsuit for the victims and agreed to pay a total of $33 million; $9 million to one person who survived with lifelong injuries, and $24 million to the families of the 36 who perished in the fire. In August 2020, Pacific Gas and Electric Company settled a civil lawsuit for 32 of the victims for an undisclosed amount.
See also
In Spanish: Incendio del almacén Ghost Ship de Oakland para niños
