The nation’s attention turned to Oakland, California in December when a warehouse burnt to the ground, leaving 36 people dead. Among those killed were firefighters and first responders.
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In the wake of the blaze, Derick Almena, one of the owners of the warehouse, is facing manslaughter charges.
On Friday, Almena’s lawyer gave a press conference in which he said that his client was suffering an “almost total destruction of his mental stability,” the Los Angeles Times reported. The attorney also stated that firefighters went about rescuing those inside the wrong way. He claimed that they should have cut a hole in the wall rather than the room.
“There could have been more survivors,” Almena’s attorney declared.
BREAKING: 2 face manslaughter charges in Ghost Ship warehouse inferno in Oakland, Calif. https://t.co/DfftKRVR9V
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 5, 2017
The owners of the warehouse were recently arrested after a lengthy investigation.
On December 2, a raging party was underway at the Ghost Ship warehouse when a fire started and trapped many of the partygoers inside. Eyebrows were raised after the nation learned that the venue was not licensed for entertainment.
RELATED: Recovery efforts end at Oakland warehouse as officials try to piece together an actual cause
Max Harris, 27, was also arrested and will be arraigned Thursday. Harris reportedly helped Almena secure concerts at the underground venue — he even planned the party on the night of the tragedy. The young promoter also lived in the warehouse, according to the Mercury News, even though the space was not licensed for tenants.