OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — The City of Oakland on Thursday settled the lawsuit from the 2016 Ghost Ship warehouse fire that claimed the lives of 36 people.
The $32.7 million settlement brings closure to the civil case in the tragic incident.
The settlement will be allocated, with $23.5 million for the families of the victims, and $9.2 million for plaintiff Sam Maxwell, who survived the fire but will live with severe, lifelong injuries and major medical expenses.
The lawsuits were filed on behalf of 32 of the 36 people killed in the December 2016 Ghost Ship fire.
The City of Oakland continues to assert that it is not liable for the tragic losses. City officials say the city decided to settle this case because of the cost-benefit analysis.
The criminal case against Derick Almena, who served as the master tenant of the warehouse, is ongoing. A retrial is scheduled to begin in October 2020.
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