VIDEO: Dec. 2, 2021 marked the fifth anniversary of an Oakland tragedy.
In 2016, a late night fire broke out at a warehouse. It happened during a dance party and killed 36 people.
The master tenant, Derick Almena, was sentenced earlier this year to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Prosecutors say Almena was criminally negligent when he illegally converted the industrial Oakland warehouse into a residence and event space for artists dubbed the “Ghost Ship,” stuffing the two-story building with flammable materials and extension cords, without smoke detectors or sprinklers.
Victims were trapped on an illegally constructed second floor with just a narrow staircase for the escape route.
Almena was the master tenant, but the warehouse was owned by the Ng family, who were never criminally charged.