Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy filed a lawsuit on behalf of Manuel and Maria Vega, the parents of Alex Vega, a twenty-two year old man who lost his life in the Oakland Ghost Ship Fire on December 2, 2016.
The Ghost Ship was a warehouse in Oakland that was illegally converted into a live-work space and used as an underground music venue, referred to as the “Rave Cave.” Alex was lured to the warehouse and charged admission for an unpermitted music event without any awareness that the venue lacked a fire suppression system and fire alarms, had exposed electrical wires and nails, pirated electricity, no exit signs, no emergency lighting or sprinkler system, unpermitted construction and repairs, and was overflowing with clutter, junk, and haphazard partitions. Not to mention, the music was staged on the second floor and blocking one of only two stairwells, effectively forcing all attendees up and down one flight of stairs that was narrow, poorly constructed from wooden pallets, and did not directly lead to an exit. Essentially, the warehouse was a deathtrap for unsuspecting attendees.
