As the smoldering ruins of an Oakland warehouse fire that killed at least 36 people Friday are finally being cleaned up, the man authorities believe is behind the whole thing whipped up a firestorm of criticism after issuing a shocking selfish statement.
After being warned for years about the hazardous set-up, a man by the name Derick Ion — identified as Derick Ion Almena, the person who ran the warehouse called the “Ghost Ship” — posted the following to Facebook after the deadly blaze.
This wasn’t his first controversial post to social media. Five months ago, “the brainchild of the cluttered artists’ cooperative took to Facebook in a 1,000-word rant claiming he was ‘the thriller love child of Manson, Pol Pot and Hitler.'” and that he could “proverbally <sic> get away with murder,” The Mercury News reported.
“A disturbing picture of Almena quickly emerged on social media and in interviews with people who know him; many skewered him as selfish and careless and for next-level narcissism, but some celebrated his unyielding quirky vibe. A deeper look into Almena’s past shows a man who sought to desperately defy convention in his art, work and life.”
Almena and partner Micah Allison, who helped run the controversial warehouse, were believed to have been out of the building at the time of the blaze.
The couple had a troubled relationship, said Michael Allison of Portland, Oregon, the father of Micah. He and other family members persuaded his daughter to go to a drug rehabilitation center in 2015, but Almena talked his way into the clinic and convinced Micah to leave with him, Michael Allison said.
The family’s three children had lice and needed new clothes, prompting family to call child-protective services, said Michael Allison, who wept as he talked. But Almena and his partner eventually were able to win custody of the children back and cut off all communication with Michael Allison, the father said.
“Whenever I could, I would to talk to (Micah) to get away from him because I knew he was dangerous from day one,” he said. “All of that has now been proven.”
The building had been carved into artist studios and visitors and former denizens said it was a cluttered death trap, piled with scrap wood, a mess of snaking electric cords and only two exits.
Almena had leased the space from its owner and then rented five recreational vehicles and other nooks on the ground floor as living spaces, said Danielle Boudreaux, a former friend of Almena and Allison. They held regular concerts and dance parties, like the one Friday, to make money, Boudreaux said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
he may have owned the warehouse, but he didn’t own the clutter. artists are pigs, where there waste falls is where it lies. where the problem lies is no regular fire inspections, no follow up, on work in progress, the blame is on the city of Oakland, and a lack luster fire inspection team. the city was notified numerous tymes, and did nothing! typical approach, write it down an walk off. I will bet there lots of buildings just like this, then the next excuse is we don’t have the manpower to do this. this is the biggest lie ever told, Oakland floats in federal money!
Yes he did. Did you read the article? Owner of deadly Oakland warehouse causes OUTRAGE. The man authorities believe is behind the whole thing whipped up a firestorm of criticism after issuing a shocking selfish statement.
After being warned for years about the hazardous set-up, a man by the name Derick Ion — identified as Derick Ion Almena, the person who ran the warehouse called the “Ghost Ship” This wasn’t his first controversial post to social media. Five months ago, “the brainchild of the cluttered artists’ cooperative took to Facebook in a 1,000-word rant claiming he was ‘the thriller love child of Manson, Pol Pot and Hitler.’” and that he could “proverbially get away with murder,” The Mercury News reported.
This guy was the owner and knew about everything in that warehouse! He was the one that made it the way it was, he was the one who put on an illegal event that has killed at least 36 people maybe more!!
IF THE CITY HAS A COMPLAINT, THAT THERE ARE COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS THERE. A FIRE INSPECTOR GOES OUT THERE, HE LOOKS FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEM SINCE ITS A WAREHOUSE THEN FIRE EXTINGUISHERS THAT ARE UP TO DATE, AND PLACED IN THE CORRECT PLACE, AND A SAFE EGRESS TO THE BUILDING, ALSO IF THE STAND PIPES ARE IN WORKING ORDER. IM SURE THE OWNER DIDNT CARE, BUT THIS FALLS UNDER THE FIRE CODE. AND OAKLAND HAS A FIRE CODE, TO BAD IT WASNT ENFORCED!
Almena leased the building. It says in the last paragraph. He was the owner of the business.
dude….this is all media hype…they are telling you want you want to hear. Artists are….for the most part ‘ SLOBS’…if they drop a napkin they walk away and expect somebody else to pick up after their little ‘silver spooned’ little selves. There is more to this than you or the media are telling andYOU my friend, won’t know the truth for months.
Not the owner, he leased the building. What the article does not mention is the person or business he was leasing from. That said, Almena is some kind of kooky, delusional, narcissistic “artist”,
it is the city runs by the Democrats. No complain .All cities run by democrats are in bankruptcy, where the money gone?
How can you say this idiot is “blameless”? If he “owned” the building, he should be held responsible for NOT having a working sprinkler system, NOR smoke alarms AND no “adequate” exits, or fire escapes! INSPECTIONS “come with” ownership of “anything” – -if YOU do not inspect and “anything” goes wrong- – YOU ARE responsible. The clutter may “belong to the artists”, but “regular inspections” WOULD have taken care of that issue.
Anyone wanna bet Derick is a democrat?
So sorry so many have died or have been injured due to this couple’s egos and stupidity. On the other hand, why would anyone that went there make such a bad decision. They had to be aware of the very many warehouse and/or club fires where so many died in this country and abroad. Once inside they must have seen the conditions of this run down building and yet stayed. My question is: Why? Where was their judgment? Ignorance of existed and large crowed area obviously wasn’t enough warning?
Were they are all taught not to think via our public school system? Were many on drugs? A conundrum from ignorance and/or stupidity and now their families must bear the pain of their miserable dying AND funerals and/or terrible hospital costs.
BIG Q.. Is he a memeber ot the human race ?
Randy, I suppose that you reached that decision for the same reason that I did. Self stupidity blamed on someone else and happening in California.
as you can definitely see, California is the land of fruits and nuts. the people who elect those in power are indoctrinated idiots, and/or illegals. you reap wha you sew…
By your statement about all californians sounds like you are the biggest one on earth
Too bad the DNC didn’t hold their convention in there.
This fool Derick Ion Almena needs to be arrested and held accountable for the deaths of all the victims of that fire!! This idiot was using a warehouse as a place of residence illegally!! This fool put on an event without having the correct permits thus making the event an illegal event!!
I will bet any amount that when the investigation is done the cause of the fire will be the old buildings electrical system overloaded by the amps and equipment used to put on this party. When that happened the system shorted out the wiring catching the building on fire. Now this is just an educated guess from someone who has dealt with putting on large concert type of events and knows that the buildings electrical systems need to be used correctly and also be up to code, when putting on an event like the one on Friday in that warehouse.
There are reasons that buildings are designated as warehouses or arenas or housing. There are reasons we have building inspectors. Who by the way were trying to inspect that warehouse many times and every time they showed up this fool was no where to be found to let them in. I wonder why?
I am sure after the investigation is completed this fool will be arrested and charged with at least manslaughter. They should charge him with murder he knew how old that building was and he knew that it was not designed for the event that he put on in it. I will not be surprised if this fool goes on the run before the investigation has been completed!
I agree with your comment. I am wondering in this day and age, how this building had no fire/smoke alarms, or a sprinkler system.
IM WONDERING THE SAME THING, WHEN YOU BUILD A WAREHOUSE ITS PART OF THE BUILDING CODE, AND A FIRE INSPECTOR DOESNT NEED THE OWNER PRESENT TO WRITE THE PLACE UP, IF THERE IS DEBRIS VISIBLE FROM THE STREET, THAT ALL IT TAKES.
The fact he was charging rent to those who lived there and admission to the “party” means he was knowingly breaking the law before the fire. Considering those two facts he should be tried with 36 counts of murder and let the jury decide if lesser charges such as involuntary manslaughter would be more fitting.
I wonder what was the drawing item that attracted them to a dangerous appearing warehouse? Maybe some of the attenders were not thinking rationally or were not capable to comprehend? Would they work in a warehouse with the same conditions or would they make a complaint to the State about the unsafe conditions?
I’d be willing to bet most of those attending never worked in a warehouse or any other actual blue collar job where safety is taught as part of job training. Having worked many years in manufacturing and warehouses as well as being a safety coordinator and teaching basic safety classes I know I would have gotten far the hell away, recommended everyone else do the same and then notified authorities as to the conditions.
But than I was raised in a generation where common sense and personal responsibility were expected and it was a known fact the last people you thought could solve all your problems was the government. Yes there are major questions that need to be answered as to why this fire trap wasn’t cleaned out before this could happen, especially hearing that it was known about for years. But those who lived in such conditions and those attending and paying for a party in such conditions should accept part of the blame.
I’ve got news for him. He may become even poorer once the families of the 36 dead people begin suing him. If he operated the warehouse in an unsafe manner he may face criminal charges as well as civil suits. If he had insurance that may help with some of his loss.
Oakland sounds like a sanctuary city. The Fire Dept. where I worked would call as a courtesy to the owner for an inspection of the premises. If one complaint is filed then all bets are off. It’s too bad PC has taken over the country but just driving around the District one should take notice of a situation. Back here in the East we lost 100 at a club in Rhode Island and the people left behind will always wonder why. Personally if the cut Calif. off of the US and sent it adrift I for one would not be sad. I hope this Bldg. owner goes to jail for manslaughter because you can bet he knew .
If this property had been previously cited for violations, why hadn’t the responsible authorities acted to shut the thing down, is a question yet to be asked or answered, it seems.
You can’t get blood out of a turnip. Oakland city govt. shares the blame. Someone, the taxpayer presumably, pays fire inspectors to police warehouse properties so as to prevent the heedless from being incinerated, If this requires condemnation and padlocking by court order, so be it. This should be a wake-up call for the inspections and code-writing “industries”. Name a sizable American municipality that doesn’t have nests of creative bohemians living in squalor. This could become recurring nightmare. Pray for the families, the displaced orphans, the greedy and the indifferent alike.
WHO IS AT FAULT ? sanctuaries, city, owners, fire department, democrats, drugs, but let’s blame Trump. At least that is what CNN would say.
Derick Ion Almena, the person who ran the warehouse called the “Ghost Ship,” was not listed as the building owner. When a group of squatters moves into an unoccupied building, it takes an Act of Congress to move them. This warehouse was, and the burned-out structure is, located in the Sanctuary Mecca of the People’s Demokratik Socialist Republik of Kalifornia. No Liberal judge would have given permission to evict the squatters, and it is unclear if Derick owned the building in question.
The Liberals are looking for someone to blame for their unintended consequences and Derick appears to fill the position.
Yo BMS here just wanted to say that those kids are all holograms and that no actual fire occurred. The entire city of Oakland is actually a hologram and I can prove it because I helped build it while working on Obama’s secret drone hologram jew program. 9/11 happened exactly as it was reported.
Rocketship.