Last year, Oakland was the location of a serious warehouse fire where illegal tenants had been living. The case drew scrutiny of the living conditions in the building, with media reporting it was filled with fire hazards. Thirty-six people died. Now, a fire that killed four last week is drawing headlines in Oakland with revelations that a fire captain recommended the building be closed due to serious threats to life, reports the East Bay Times.
In January, the captain sent a warning about the building in question. Among the violations were a fire alarm that wasn’t reset, garbage throughout the building, and a fire escape with a padlocked exit door. The building also had no fire extinguishers and bad smoke alarms.
However, bureaucratic delays prevented immediate action. One person in the chain of command said it was appropriate to give the owner a month to fix the problems. Another said that to shut the building down would require it to be declared unfit for human habitation. The delays kept happening until a fire finally broke out and settled the matter. Now four more people have lost their lives.
Have you been burned in a building fire and believe that the building owner didn’t follow fire safety regulations? Call our lawyer referral specialists at 844-549-8774 for help finding a lawyer who can review your legal options to hold the negligent building owner liable and recover compensation for your damages.
