By Canadian Press

Retrial for man in California warehouse fire that killed 36

Oct 4, 2019 | 10:18 AM

OAKLAND, Calif. — Prosecutors say they will re-try a man on manslaughter charges for allegedly turning a San Francisco Bay Area warehouse into a cluttered maze that killed 36 at a party.

Alameda County jurors last month could not agree on a verdict against 49-year-old Derick Almena, splitting 10-2 in favour of finding Almena guilty. They acquitted 29-year-old Max Harri

The Dec. 2, 2016, fire broke out during an electronic music party at a warehouse known as the Ghost Ship in Oakland.

Prosecutors allege Almena was criminally negligent when he illegally converted the industrial building into a residence for artists and held unpermitted events inside.

Almena’s attorneys argued that city workers were to blame for not raising concerns about fire hazards in the warehouse.

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