Gerhard Albert Becker, German Architect, Pleads Not Guilty In LA Fireman's Death (PHOTOS)

LOS ANGELES -- Authorities charge that the sprawling home a German architect designed and built was shoddily put together, contributing to the death of a firefighter who died when a water-saturated ceiling collapsed on him during a fire.

Gerhard Albert Becker, 48, who also owned the mansion and was the construction contractor, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Authorities allege that the shoddy way the home was built, including putting a fireplace on the third floor that was designed only for outside use, caused the blaze.

"The fire started as the result of gross negligence," Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said. 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 was jailed on $2 million bail and ordered to return to court March 1 for a preliminary hearing. His attorney, Chad Lewin did not immediately return a message left for comment.

As the blaze that began in the fireplace raged through the house, authorities said, it melted a plastic sprinkler pipe. That filled a false ceiling that was made of drywall and wood with water and caused it to collapse.

The ceiling gave way as firefighter Glenn Allen was fighting the flames. Chainsaws had to be used to free Allen from the debris, and he died two days later. Five other firefighters were injured.

Allen, 61, had been with the Los Angeles Fire Department nearly 40 years and was less than a year away from retirement.

Before the just-completed three-story home burned down on Feb. 16, 2011, it was to have been the location for a photo shoot for the reality TV show "Germany's Next Top Model."

Becker left the country soon after the fire, but authorities said there was no indication he was fleeing to avoid arrest. He is a German citizen and his 90-day visa was about to expire, Beck said.

He was arrested Saturday by FBI agents and authorities when he arrived in Los Angeles from Spain, where he also has a home.

Photos of 1546 North Viewsite Drive courtesy of Realtor.com. The Los Angeles Fire Department had listed the address in their blog about the fire.

Comments

[MaquinaVerde]

07:46 PM on 02/21/2012

Maybe they could try to sue the city if they feel the need to sue somebody, I can guarantee that everything was up to code in this house if City of LA signed off on it. This architect probably has a nice counter suit in the works because getting sued on these grounds this sounds nothing short of idiotic.

[Tumunzahar]

12:29 AM on 02/23/2012

You can't sue building inspectors. That's why they feel free to change their minds every time they come out on a project.

[BigDan Bigdan]

08:28 AM on 02/21/2012

Now the firemen sue if they come to a house fire?? Jeeze. Where was the code inspectors? Oh yea, most of those guys are usually retired firemen and or contractors. I feel they need to ask the code inspectors where the paper work is. The guy designed the house. He did not build it.

[Just walkin the dog here]

10:16 PM on 02/19/2012

It will be interesting to see the facts laid out in the trial.

[3daywkend]

11:51 PM on 02/18/2012

Eames chairs abound.

[DuaneW]

01:15 AM on 02/20/2012

4 chairs. Don't understand your comment other than to pretend to be sophisticated.

[3daywkend]

02:52 AM on 02/20/2012

I count 11. Assuming the shell chairs outside are Eames (the bases are a little off), and the
chaise lounger in the background in another picture. BTW, I think Eames are very cliche'd. I like Danish modern:-)

[CaroleK1970]

08:19 PM on 02/18/2012

I would not want to be in that pool during an earthquake

[DuaneW]

01:10 AM on 02/20/2012

The pool would not be a bad place to be in an earthquake. Your intuition is bad on this subject

[CaroleK1970]

02:32 PM on 02/20/2012

the pool supporting wall has nothing to support it but a steep hillside, that wall could easily break and spill all the contents off the pool down the mountain

[Jim8]

01:37 PM on 02/18/2012

Did the house violate building codes? Was it inspected as it was built? These things are pretty clear.

[DuaneW]

01:17 AM on 02/20/2012

The LAFD mentioned no code violation. It would have been inspected numerous times and the drawings would have had to been reviewed by a Bldg Dept. plan checker.

[inthedesert]

07:31 PM on 02/17/2012

The house does nothing for me although the view is tremendous.

[DuaneW]

01:19 AM on 02/20/2012

I'm sorry you can't appreciate quality modernism. Becker's work is impressive.

[DSevere]

02:28 AM on 02/20/2012

I agree, it's a really beautiful house. I

[BadHaBritt]

06:57 PM on 02/17/2012

So this man owns this modern piece of crap but only has a 90 day visa. Anyone else see anything wrong with this picture.

[DanInLA]

07:27 PM on 02/17/2012

I don't. What is wrong with it?

[BadHaBritt]

07:49 PM on 02/17/2012

maybe he'll be stopped from re-entering the country for good.
Can anyone imagine what would happen to that pool in a severe earthquake. What a dumb design.

[DuaneW]

01:20 AM on 02/20/2012

What's wrong? You are a terrible judge of architecture.

[JoeCrownOnTheRocks]

06:24 PM on 02/17/2012

Dang, 40 years on the job and less than a year to retirement. Tough luck in a risky profession.

[naaman]

09:59 AM on 02/18/2012

No jive - 40 years, almost there & this happened. - Sad is an understatement.

[champa10]

04:30 PM on 02/17/2012

Damn, really like this home from visual side. Nice and roomy and uncluttered.

[UnknownSolider]

01:49 PM on 02/17/2012

Unless they are going to start charging people for having a fire place burn down their house, I don't see how the law is being fairly applied here

[sheila]

01:53 PM on 02/17/2012

they edited the salient facts out of this version - the final permits were issued then the owners and architect SNUCK and installed 3 outdoor firepits inside the house, one of which caused the fire. i recall from reports at the time this happened that the (mandatory) indoor fire sprinkler system actually flooded the ceiling and that is what caused the collapse onto the fireman, though, which sounds like a failure by the architect, builder and inspector..

[Aardvaark]

03:52 PM on 02/17/2012

It's not a failure of the inspector if the final inspection was performed, then substantial modifications are made.

The plastic pipe that is used for fire sprinklers has to be in a very intense fire to start leaking. I've personally tested it with a torch, and all it did was char. (It's installed in my house - not the piece I tested). I'm willing to bet that there was a fire sprinkler head that went off in a crawl space because the fire had reached it.

When the trial starts, it will be interesting to get a better report.

[UnknownSolider]

03:57 PM on 02/17/2012

granted, but involuntary manslaughter requires the defendant to have done something unlawful (illegal) or dangerous that lead to a person's death. If what you say is true about the flood caused by the Legal sprinkler system is what caused this firefighter to lose his life, then I think I'm correct in questioning the application of this law to this defendant.......... and I'm not a lawyer.

[Aardvaark]

04:01 PM on 02/17/2012

If, after you have the final inspection, and you are not only an architect, but a contractor, (you are then considered a person who should know better) you make modifications to a house, that is illegal. If those modifications that would not meet building codes, and the use of that modification brings about a fire that directly or indirectly causes a death, you are responsible for that death.

Apparently, it was an illegal fire pit, not properly constructed, that allowed a fire to start. When the fire dept. tried to put the fire out, there was an accident causing the loss of a fireman's life.

If it were a normal fireplace, constructed according to code & inspected to make sure it was, there would be no problem.

[SuperMoncho]

01:29 PM on 02/17/2012

The people that allowed the house to be built are the guilty ones. You can come up with a million dmb ideas for a house but having those things approved is a completely different deal.

[Maezeppa]

03:54 PM on 02/17/2012

"Those things" weren't approved.  They were violations.

[sharpstick]

12:00 PM on 02/17/2012

Somebody let him get away without the proper building permits and inspection.

THAT'S who I want behind bars too.

[tcounter]

01:01 PM on 02/17/2012

The story in the L.A. Times says he got the necessary permits without the fireplaces and then added them after the inspection.

[Spike N LngBch]

01:41 PM on 02/17/2012

Just a minor detail that the HuffPost left our accidentally, you think? Every news source that is reporting on the guys arrest includes multiple references to outdoor fire places being installed indoors AFTER the inspections were completed, yet that is no where to be seen in this article. Would have made for a great TV show had the fire occurred after the models had moved into the house.

One day your in, the next day you have 4th degree burns and dying from smoke inhalation.

[sharpstick]

07:32 PM on 02/18/2012

Thanks ;)

[studioh!]

11:33 AM on 02/17/2012

should have put in a fountain head.

[nomoredead]

08:23 AM on 02/17/2012

Wait till the next big earthquake....