Candle flame blamed as cause of West Oakland fire that killed 4

Kim was once owner and chief executive of the now-defunct Granny Goose potato chip company, but later filed for bankruptcy and was convicted of lying to the Securities and Exchange Commission amid a probe into insider-trading. Before the fire, Kim was seeking to evict Urojas and its clients for failing to pay rent, but Urojas refused to leave, and City Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney, who represents West Oakland, was acting as a mediator in the fight. The eviction notices came soon after the Dec. 2 Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, which killed 36 people at an unsanctioned music event and heightened scrutiny of Oakland buildings. According to the lanlord, Urojas owed $118,000 in rent. The building recently came to the attention of fire inspectors, city officials said, when an engine company referred the property to them after a Feb. 25 service call. On March 18, fire inspectors got another referral, city officials said, which resulted in last week’s visit and the discovery of a litany of urgent safety hazards. Fire inspectors ordered the landlord to correct 11 violations, including a lack of smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Extension cords were strung between rooms, and the fire alarm and sprinkler system needed servicing and testing, the city said. In the Ghost Ship disaster, Oakland faces criticism that it failed to take action against the owner and operator of the underground warehouse despite a number of warning signs. Building inspectors had responded to complaints about the warehouse, which was a maze of electrical cords, makeshift stairs and sleeping areas.