• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Architect pleads not guilty in firefighter's death

mark handler

SAWHORSE
Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Messages
11,665
Location
So. CA
Architect pleads not guilty in firefighter's death

http://www.usatoday.com/news/story/2012-02-15/los-angeles-firefighter-death/53110684/1

LOS ANGELES (AP) – A German architect who built and designed a sprawling mansion in the Hollywood Hills pleaded not guilty to manslaughter Wednesday in the death of a firefighter who was killed battling a blaze when a ceiling saturated with water collapsed on him.

Gerhard Albert Becker, who also owned the home, entered his plea in Los Angeles County Superior Court. He was jailed on $2 million bail and ordered to return to court March 1 for a preliminary hearing.

Becker was also the home's construction contractor, and authorities say the shoddy way he put it together, including putting a fireplace on the third floor that was designed only for outside use, led to the fire.

"The fire started as the result of gross negligence," Police Charlie Beck told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.

Beck also said he was not aware of any other case in which shoddy building work led to an involuntary manslaughter charge.

"It's certainly rare," he said.

Becker left the country soon after the home was destroyed on Feb. 16, 2011, but authorities said there was no indication he was trying to avoid arrest at the time. He is a German citizen and his 90-day visa was about to expire, Beck said.

He was arrested Saturday when he arrived in Los Angeles from Spain, where he has a home.

Authorities say the blaze that began in the fireplace burned through a plastic sprinkler pipe and filled the home's attic with water until the ceiling collapsed on 61-year-old firefighter Glen Allen. Five other firefighters also were injured.

Allen died two days later. The firefighter-paramedic had nearly 40 years with the department and was less than a year away from retirement.

Allen was the first city firefighter to be killed in the line of duty since March 2008, when Brent Lovrien died in an explosion near Los Angeles International Airport as he investigated an earlier blast that blew manhole covers into the air.
 
mark handler said:
Becker was also the home's construction contractor, and authorities say the shoddy way he put it together.
Why the hell is the headline about his role as an architect?
 
As the architect he specified the illegal fireplace and the plastic sprinkler lines that melted, as an owner builder he was supervising the work, I wonder if he was licensed as an architect or contractor in California?
 
He did not "specify" the fireplaces, they were not part of the scope of work. He chose to install them later.
 
Fatboy said:
He did not "specify" the fireplaces, they were not part of the scope of work. He chose to install them later.
Okay, and architect acting as his own contractor "specified" the fireplaces, I have to assume that he also specified and installed the plastic sprinkler lines. California requires that all sprinkler fitters be certified through an apprenticeship program, I don't know if an owner can install his own but have to assume they can, maybe that law has to change? Did he install the fireplaces and sprinkers himself, or subcontract them to others?
 
BTW, Mr. Becker does not appear to be an architect.

California has no record of him.
 
brudgers said:
BTW, Mr. Becker does not appear to be an architect. California has no record of him.
Yes, He's not a licensed architect in California

Many people claim to be architects, one of the reasons we have a bad rap in the industry
 
brudgers said:
Why the hell is the headline about his role as an architect?
Same reason a headline might read "SUV runs over child" or " Assualt weapon kills police oficer" It is poor jounalism used to grab attention.
 
You got me. The same can't be said of contractors.
If the headline said "Contractor" or "Building Inspector", I would have said the same thing..... California had an arson investigator that moonlighted as an arsonist, his fires killed people. They wrote a book and made a movie about him, much more interesting than the average Joe arsonist...

Does it really matter where he is licensed? He still should have known better, if in fact he is an architect.
 
mark handler said:
From what I hear, He is licensed in Europe
The requirements for licensure in Europe vary widely - in some countries it is simply an occupational license, in others a degree is all that is required, and some like Britain roughly follow the US standard. Be that as it may, Mr. Becker does not appear to be an architect in California.

And to describe him as one in connection with the fire and subsequent death is grossly misleading.
 
I agree with mtlogcabin....cheap sensationalism, attention grabbing headline. "Sleazy homeowner" would have never worked.
 
brudgers said:
The requirements for licensure in Europe vary widely - in some countries it is simply an occupational license, in others a degree is all that is required, and some like Britain roughly follow the US standard. Be that as it may, Mr. Becker does not appear to be an architect in California.

And to describe him as one in connection with the fire and subsequent death is grossly misleading.
mabye he knew the secret handshake? http://youtu.be/oo18D-qHAYE
 
Personally, I find it relevant to the story that an architect (assuming he is one..) would knowingly circumvent the code or order from the building dept. to construct a hazard in his own home, or anyone elses AFTER the C/O. An architect is expected to know and follow the codes and that incident showed what happens when you don't. If he was a truck driver, for instance, it would not be relevant as we wouldn't expect a truck driver to know the codes........

"Firefighter arrested for Arson"

"Policeman arrested for theft"

"Priest arrested for soliciting a prostitute"

Those are all relevant.....
 
Last edited by a moderator:
beach said:
Personally, I find it relevant to the story that an architect (assuming he is one..) would knowingly circumvent the code or order from the building dept. to construct a hazard in his own home, or anyone elses AFTER the C/O. An architect is expected to know and follow the codes and that incident showed what happens when you don't. If he was a truck driver, for instance, it would not be relevant as we wouldn't expect a truck driver to know the codes........ "Firefighter arrested for Arson" "Policeman arrested for theft" "Priest arrested for soliciting a prostitute" Those are all relevant.....
Except that Mr. Becker isn't an architect.
 
If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, then its probably is a dog wishing it was a duck.:devil

Or is it if it squats like a dog, yaps like a dog then its probably a dragon chewing up and spitting out ahjs for the fun of it.:twisted:
 
gbhammer said:
If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, then its probably is a dog wishing it was a duck.:devilOr is it if it squats like a dog, yaps like a dog then its probably a dragon chewing up and spitting out ahjs for the fun of it.:twisted:
Did you take the wrong pill this morning??????????
 
Except that Mr. Becker isn't an architect.
Possibley not an architect licensed in the United States, but I can't say without a doubt that he is not a licensed architect.

It's just splitting hairs anyway, I was under the impression that you felt that the media shouldn't have mentioned he was an architect, regardless if he was a licensed one or not.

Would you have approved the headline if you knew for sure he was an architect licensed in the United States?

It didn't appear so to me......

Why the hell is the headline about his role as an architect?
 
Top