Legal Consequences Of Oakland’s Warehouse Fire

Lawsuits against property owners have produced huge verdicts in cases similar to that of the Oakland warehouse fire last week that killed at least 36 people, a blaze that was made more lethal because of unsafe conditions and breaches of building codes. In a 1997 case where complaints had been made, and required smoke detectors were not put in place, a jury awarded the family of the five victims $15 million. That lawsuit may serve as a guide for attorneys working on behalf of families of the Oakland ‘Ghost Ship’ fire, where people lived in violation of city codes and there was reportedly only one usable exit. Wrongful-death lawsuits could name the property owner and the man who leased the building and allegedly sublet it to others. In addition, lawsuits could target any contractors, engineers, or architects who worked on the site over the years; the city of Oakland; promoters of the event that had the warehouse packed with people the night of the blaze; and possibly manufacturers of items inside the warehouse that may be found to have caused or contributed to the fire. “In a case like the Oakland fire, the first issue is going to be who has exposure or liability,” Niall McCarthy, a trial lawyer who represented the victims of a 1996 San Francisco balcony collapse, told the Los Angeles Times. “The property owner, the building manager, and the promoter are going to have liability. They are the primary targets.” In some similar cases, criminal charges have been filed, but with mixed results.