A California couple whose 20-year-old daughter died in the country's deadliest building fire in more than a decade have filed the first known lawsuit in the disaster.
The lawsuit filed Friday in Alameda County Superior Court faults the warehouse's owner, its main tenant and others involved in throwing a Dec. 2 party at the illegally converted building.
Thirty-six party-goers died when fire broke out in the Oakland warehouse building, which was filled with makeshift stairs and room dividers and lacked clear exits.
The parents of San Francisco college student Michela Gregory are seeking unspecified damages in connection with her death.
Attorneys for the warehouse's owner and principal tenant did not return calls for comment Friday.
The landlord has retained a Southern California-based attorney.
Attorney Keith G. Bremer of Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara will represent Chor Ng, who owns the Ghost Ship property in East Oakland.
City officials say Ng had a business license for more than two decades on the property and has paid all business taxes.
Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Ng have been unsuccessful.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley has launched a criminal investigation that she says could lead to a wide range of charges against the landlord, tenants and others, including murder.
Ng leased the warehouse to Derick Almena, the leader of the Ghost Ship artist collective. Almena has also retained attorneys.
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