Ghost Ship warehouse

Oakland Settles Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire Lawsuit

ghost ship
NBC Bay Area

The City of Oakland said Thursday it has reached a $32.7 million settlement for a lawsuit over the deadly Ghost Ship warehouse fire.

The suit was filed on behalf of 32 of the 36 people who died in the December 2016 fire.

City officials said the settlement will be allocated with $23.5 million for the families of victims who died. Plaintiff Sam Maxwell will receive $9.2 million. Maxwell will live with severe, lifelong injuries and major medical expenses, officials said.

Ghost Ship master tenant Derick Almena is awaiting a retrial. The criminal case is scheduled to begin in October.

Almena is charged in connection with the fire at a music party at the 10,000-square-foot warehouse in Oakland's Fruitvale district that left 36 dead the night of Dec. 2, 2016.

His and co-defendant Max Harris, the warehouse's artistic director's, trial ended with jurors deadlocked 10-2 in favor of convicting Alemena and acquitting Harris of all charges.

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