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Glenn L. Allen
LOS ANGELES -- The owner-architect of a Hollywood Hills mansion where a falling ceiling killed a Los Angeles firefighter during a blaze last year has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, NBCLosAngles.com reported Wednesday.
Architect Gerhard Becker, 48, was arrested Saturday and arraigned Wednesday in the death of firefighter Glen Allen, according to The Associated Press. Allen, 61, died from injuries sustained Feb. 16, 2011, as he helped attack the fire at the Viewsite Drive house that was to be featured in Heidi Klum's "Germany's Next Top Model," a knockoff of her American show with a similar name.
Authorities said the blaze started in an improperly installed 18-foot "fire trough," or oversize indoor fire pit, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Flames burned through a plastic sprinkler pipe and filled the attic insulation with water until the ceiling fell on Allen, officials said. Five others were injured in the blaze.
Rescuers used a chainsaw to cut their way through to Allen, who had served in the fire department for more than 35 years.
Becker, a German national, could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
He and another home occupant escaped the fire uninjured.
"We had been sleeping. We don't know where it actually started. We just got awake by the sprinkler system," Becker said at the time.
Prosecutors say Becker was the architect and main contractor for his luxury home. He was arrested when he flew from Spain to Los Angeles on Saturday. He remains jailed.
During the fire investigation last year, the Times and other media reported that at least five models were slated to move into the home the week after the fire occurred.
Radar Online last year reported the home sold for $7.1 million in 2008 before it was remade for the show.
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Isn't America's Next Top Model Tyra Banks' show... not Heidi Klums'?
I had never heard of it before, so I couldn't say one way or the other.
I had to look it up, but you are right Carrie. Heidi Klum produces "Project Runway".
On another note, this was clearly an accident, so unless they can prove he installed it incorrectly on purpose, like to cut costs illegally, why are they prosecuting this guy? It is a tragedy, but why compound that mistake?
@ Kevin C-752389: regarding it being an accident...it remains to be seen of course. But I have never heard of a sprinkler system using plastic piping. Seems pretty dumb and counter intuitive to me, but honestly I'm not familiar with residential construction.
"...house that was to be featured in Heidi Klum's "Germany's Next Top Model," a knockoff of her American show with a similar name."
First off, how can they charge the home owner for manslaughter because a firefighter died doing his job, this is not the same type of thing such as driving impaired and killing someone in an accident. Somebody please explain that to me. How many houses and buildings have burned down, because of faulty this, or poorly designed that. This to me just reeks of Police State, and how ironic that the guy is a German National. While I feel bad for Mr. Allen and his family, he died doing a dangerous job, a job that all firefighters know can result in them never going home again. This is a tragedy for certain, but now, it is even a bigger tragedy if this man gets convicted. They would have to prove that he had pre-meditated intentions of this happening in my opinion, this is a travesty of justice and he should not be convicted.
I'm with you, Brian, just because you remodeled the home doesn't make you a criminal. Since I have to just guess at the reason, I would think perhaps it was the cheap plastic pipes he put in instead of sturdier, fire proof ones. And perhaps the materials he used in the attic floor / 1st floor ceiling was cheap, inappropriate or even illegal materials that rendered the whole house unsafe.
NFPA 13R, for residential fire sprinkler systems allows PVC piping.
The architect was probably (because the article doesn't say so) charged because the reason the fire trough was defective was that he built it without pulling a permit or going through the inspection process for new construction. If so, then not only is he liable for the death, his insurance company won't cover the loss.
Correct, denver, there is only a case if there is proof of negligence. If there is sufficient evidence to show that he did not build to code and/or knowingly defied said code which would have prevented this, then the prosecution has a case. Pretty sure, this would have been done prior to warrant for his arrest...only thing is that poor reporting does not mention this at all.
America's Next Top Model is Tyra Banks show. Get it right MSNBC
They did. This show is a German knock-off, as the article explains.
No it's not. And the "explanation" is misleading. Operative word used ="her". "her" is not Heidi Klum it's Tyra Banks
What the he*l does anyone need an18 foot indoor fire pit? People have just gone nuts playing with construction of homes that don't need all those BIG and BIGGER features, that may LOOK good, but in reality are just what they are. Fire traps.
Who are we to question the needs of the 1%?
Unfortunately, code not only permits but specifies platic water pipe meets requirements for home sprinkler fire supression systems. I know! Go figure? The temperatures that arise in home fires are more thatn enough to cmpromise the plastic piping and cause the situation that resulted in the ceiling collapse. The fireman died as a result of the built-to-code fire supression system. How ironic is that? We should all mourn the loss of this public servant, but it is not the home owner's fault. He designed his home to include a fire supression system to aid in fire supression. It was built to code. Perhaps the industry regulators (yes, the fire code is self-promulgated by the industry) should be targeted as the responsible party. After all, they decided what was adequate minimum code for private home fire supression systems.
Residential sprinkler code is for normally anticipated residential construction. If the sprinkler system was not sized to meet the non-standard construction and fire potential from the 18' fire pit, the architect is liable, particularly if he did not hire a fire protection engineer to review the design.
What about the city and state inspectors that had to sign off on the construction or permits? If this house was not built to required saftery standards then how did they get a permit to occupy?
From the LATimes article listed below.
Prosecutors said Gerhard Albert Becker, 48, knowingly ignored safety recommendations and altered the home after inspections
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-firefighter-killed-20120216,0,512896.story
This article goes into better detail on why he was arrested.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-firefighter-killed-20120216,0,512896.story
Why the heck would the Powell family members want to bring more hurt and pain to the little boys remaining relatives. Too bad they (officers) didn't secure the remaining plots in the cemetery to make sure they don't bury him anywhere near the children. Do they think it was admirable what he did? God help us!
Oops wrong article sorry
Germany's Next Top Model is Heidi's show and is totally different than America's Next Top Model i guess :) I understand why this man would be convicted but of manslaughter? Car companies would go bankrupt if this was the case for every faulty mishap causing death. Doctors would go to jail everyday! Did he do something stupid? Yes. Should he pay? Yes. Should he be put in with real criminals so we can pay his rent with our tax money? No!!