The free-spirited couple who illegally ran the Oakland artist collective where at least 36 people were killed in a fire over the weekend insist they did nothing wrong — and that they are being blamed unfairly for the deadly blaze.
“We’ve done everything we could possibly afford to do,” Micah Allison told NBC Nightly News in an interview that aired on Monday night.
“I can’t explain who I am anymore,” added her husband, Derick Ion Almena, who has been caught in a whirlwind of controversy after he penned a Facebook post — griping about losing everything he “worked so hard for” without noting the tragic loss of life — just hours after the fire engulfed the two-story “Ghost Ship” warehouse.
“A lot of people have turned their backs on us,” Allison said, wiping tears away.
The couple told NBC that they were not in the building when the fire broke out on Friday night. They said that they have both spoken with investigators, though neither has been charged.
Noting the wide-ranging safety issues at the warehouse, Almena claimed he made several repairs to the warehouse’s electrical system — without permits, though — after the property owner, Chor Ng, refused.
In a statement sent to NBC Bay Area on Monday, the Ng family said they, too, were “trying to figure out what’s going on like everybody else.”
“We’re sorry to hear about the tragedy,” they said. “Our condolences go out to family and friends.”
Almena told NBC that the artists who stayed at the East Oakland enclave ultimately covered the costs of living, shelling out $5,000 a month for rent.
In a written statement to NBC, the 46-year-old claimed he had “no idea there was loss of life” when he made his Facebook post on Friday.
“This tragic event consumes my every moment,” he said. “My heart is broken. My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends who have suffered the loss of loved ones. My goal has been nothing less than to create an environment for art and creativity in our community. During this investigation please continue to show support and compassion for those affected by this tragedy. The prayers of my family and I go out to the families of the victims.”
Almena has dealt with several legal problems in the past, including a felony arrest in Jan 2015 for receiving stolen property, according to online court records.
After reaching a deal with the DA’s office, Alemna pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and spent just two days in jail. He was later sentenced to 36 months probation, beginning on Jan. 25, 2016.