- Comments0
- Share0
 Homeowner Gerhard Becker interviewed by KTLA the night of the fire |
PHOTOS: Funeral Service for Firefighter Glenn Allen- Glenn L. Allen, 61
- Funeral for 38-year veteran Glenn L. Allen of the LAFD
- VIDEO: Thousands Attend Funeral for Fallen Firefighter - Elizabeth Espinosa reports
- VIDEO: LAPD Chief Beck Comments on House Fire Investigation - Eric Spillman reports
- Fires
- Los Angeles Fire Department
- Architecture
- See more topics »
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- The architect who designed and built a Hollywood Hills home were a firefighter died was charged Wednesday with one count of involuntary manslaughter.
Homeowner and architect Gerhard Becker, 48, was arrested Saturday when he arrived at LAX from Spain.
Becker, a German national, designed and oversaw the construction of the mansion that went up in flames last February.
61-year-old firefighter Glen Allen Allen was on the ground floor when the ceiling collapsed, trapping him under several hundred pounds of plaster and lumber.
His injuries were so severe that he died at the hospital two days later.
Five other firefighters were injured in the collapse.
Prosecutors say Becker knowingly ignored safety recommendations and altered the home -- which was to be used to film "Germany's Next Top Model" -- after inspections
In court records obtained by the Los Angeles Times, authorities outline the ways they say Becker cut corners to save time and for aesthetics.
DOCUMENTS: Read the Court Documents
Building inspectors said Becker had told them there were no plans to build fireplaces in the home, and none were spotted during a final inspection, the Times reports.
However, after the fire, investigators found that he had installed four outdoor fireplaces inside the house, in violation of city building codes.
Allen told authorities he considered them "architectural features or decorations" rather than fireplaces, court records show.
But authorities say they were extremely dangerous and built on "combustible materials." One of them vented into the same room it was built in.
"This man built an 18-foot fire trough designed for outdoors inside the home," Deputy Dist. Atty. Sean Cooley said about one of the fireplaces.
"It was a recipe for disaster. He essentially put this fireplace on 2-by-4s."
Authorities also say plastic pipes used for fire sprinklers melted, flooding the attic and filling the insulation with water.
The weight of the water is what caused the ceiling to collapse.
Allen was a 38-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Eight thousand people attended his memorial service.
California Governor Jerry Brown and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa were in attendance, along with other dignitaries and firefighters from as far away as Canada.
"The Allen family and the Los Angeles Fire Department (have) received a tremendous outpouring of support during this difficult time. Your firefighters wish to thank you and express our deepest appreciation for all the kind words and gestures that have been provided," Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement.
Allen was the first LAFD firefighter to be killed in the line of duty since March 2008.
Homeowner and architect Gerhard Becker, 48, was arrested Saturday when he arrived at LAX from Spain.
Becker, a German national, designed and oversaw the construction of the mansion that went up in flames last February.
61-year-old firefighter Glen Allen Allen was on the ground floor when the ceiling collapsed, trapping him under several hundred pounds of plaster and lumber.
His injuries were so severe that he died at the hospital two days later.
Five other firefighters were injured in the collapse.
Prosecutors say Becker knowingly ignored safety recommendations and altered the home -- which was to be used to film "Germany's Next Top Model" -- after inspections
In court records obtained by the Los Angeles Times, authorities outline the ways they say Becker cut corners to save time and for aesthetics.
DOCUMENTS: Read the Court Documents
Building inspectors said Becker had told them there were no plans to build fireplaces in the home, and none were spotted during a final inspection, the Times reports.
However, after the fire, investigators found that he had installed four outdoor fireplaces inside the house, in violation of city building codes.
Allen told authorities he considered them "architectural features or decorations" rather than fireplaces, court records show.
But authorities say they were extremely dangerous and built on "combustible materials." One of them vented into the same room it was built in.
"This man built an 18-foot fire trough designed for outdoors inside the home," Deputy Dist. Atty. Sean Cooley said about one of the fireplaces.
"It was a recipe for disaster. He essentially put this fireplace on 2-by-4s."
Authorities also say plastic pipes used for fire sprinklers melted, flooding the attic and filling the insulation with water.
The weight of the water is what caused the ceiling to collapse.
Allen was a 38-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Eight thousand people attended his memorial service.
California Governor Jerry Brown and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa were in attendance, along with other dignitaries and firefighters from as far away as Canada.
"The Allen family and the Los Angeles Fire Department (have) received a tremendous outpouring of support during this difficult time. Your firefighters wish to thank you and express our deepest appreciation for all the kind words and gestures that have been provided," Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement.
Allen was the first LAFD firefighter to be killed in the line of duty since March 2008.
No comments:
Post a Comment