i-team's dan noyes is uncovering more about that warehouse. it's 4,000 square feet. hat was already open because of ongoing issues. dan has the story from the abc7 newsroom. >> at the time of the fire, the planning and building department had an open investigation into problems at that warehouse. just three weeks ago a neighbor complained about a ton of garbage piling up on the property. but the main building was remodeled for residential. the change caused the neighborhood to look very bad and creates a heather ishimarua. an inspector issued a notice of violation. took these pictures outside the building and tried to go in but was not able to gain access. he started an investigation. those familiar with the ghost ship artist collective say people have been living there for years even though it's zoned solely as a warehouse. we've been unable to reach the building owner, a 62-year-old woman. her daughter told the l.a. times they thought nobody lived there. they said sometimes some people worked through the night, but that is all. on the interior photographs posted on

. >> the i-team dan noyes has been looking into this, specifically the man run being the artist collective inside the warehouse. >> dan has more from the newsroom. >> fire officials briefed on the have eggs underway tell abc7 news it doesn't look like a case of arson but criminal charges are still a possibility. one key person is this man, derek ian. he founded the ghost ship artist collective and rented it at that location. people said he was warned about the fire hazard but he reportedly laughed off the warnings. i reached out to him and have not heard back. on his facebook page he posted something that's getting a lot of attention. he wrote confirmed, everything i worked be for is gone. blessed that my children and micah were at a hotel safe and sound. i'm now standing in poverty of self worth. several people blasted him for focusing on his own situation instead of the terrible loss of live. derek held frequent parties at the warehouse. flyers promoting them are still on his website, as is a video from one party this pastzine. planning and building department said he should have request

dan noyes has been looking into this, particularly the man who ran the artist collective inside the warehouse. >> dan has more from the abc7 newsroom. >> fire officials who were briefed on the investigation underway tell abc news this doesn't look like a case of arson but criminal charges are still a possibility. one key person is this man, derek ian. he rented that warehouse location and started the foundation. he was warned about the fire hazard but he laughed off the warnings. on his facebook page he posted something getting a lot of attention. confirmed, everything i worked for is gob. blessed that my children and micah, his wife, who were hat at a hotel safe and sound, said i am now standing in poverty of self worth. people people blasted him for focusing on his own situation instead of the terrible loss of life. there were frequent parties at the warehouse. flyers promoting them is still on his website, as is a video from this past june. ian should have requested a special permit for last night's event, but he didn't. it clearly wouldn't have been approved. and for the i-team, abc7 news

. >> the i-team's dan noyes speaks to a neighbor of the warehouse who complained repeatedly about the dangers and the parties there. did anyone listen? that's coming up amount 6:00. >> now back to dan ashley at the site of the oakland warrenhouse fire. dan? >> eric, ama, thanks very much. three days after the fire are still going to this site to way their respects. many people dropped off cards, flowers and candles and people have left messages of condolences and hope and soap are from the air's large latino community but others have come from nearby cities to just least a knows, everything. >> and to have strength get to this. >> we'll all within and which part of pick. >> this advance will be. people coming in really large numbers just to try to take it aural in, try to get some perspective on what happened, how it happened, why it happened? of course, there are no easy answers and many here wondering what could have' will be that and for it to be so clearly up safe in the tent of a fair. for now i'm dan ashley reporting from 21st and international boulevard. eric, am narks. >> dan,

. >> new, he's apologizing in an interview with the i-team's dan noyes. >> somehow, he didn't think he'd get caught for lies he toeldz to many. the nfl's toys for tots program is bouncing back. art medina had to resign. he arranged color guards and fund-raisers and left behind angry players and veterans. >> i can't imagine what they'd do if they found him. just too bad. he took us for a ride. and fooled a lot of people. >> he claims he's there because of threats received. >> i'm a marine. >> you were briefly. >> you had to earn the title. >> how? >> i finished boot camp. that is what i meant. >> records obtained by the i-team confirm he dropped out of the u.s. marines school of infantry and deserted, gone almost 10 years before his arrest weeks in the brig and discharge. he convinced many are fought in fallujah. >> you traded on the history with sacrifice of the people. what do you want to say to the families? >> you earned your keep and i'm sorry. >> in san francisco, a document interviewed him. he met marines and included donald trump's nominee for defense secretary. he told me he rais

dan noyes is back with the i-team investigation. >> the i-team has confirmed six complaints were filed against the ghost ship warehouse site in just the past two years. now, these are photos of what the city called blight alternate location and yet on at least two occasions inspectors unable to go inside the building to see dangerous conditions. pictures show the mishmash of arts and debris and all the random wiring throughout the building. i spoke with a former nanny for the man who ran the ghost time deric ione almena. >> it was more like this place is dangerous overall it. wasn't -- i mean, just the amount of stuff that was in there and where it was place the. i mean, there was nails coming out of the ground, the staircase that a lot of people are hearing about. that was a real thing. the makeshift staircase. >> this photo shows the staircase where firefighters say many of the victims became trapped. coming up at 6:00, a neighbor tells me his family complained to the city repeatedly over the past two years about the parties and dangers at that site, and you'll hear our new interview

. >> dan noyes has been digging into his background. >> i searched the court records and talking on-and-off the record about those who know derick ion almena. some praise him and others had violent confrontations. >> this performance is part of the "day of the dead," show from four years ago put on by derrick. the man said he was not a performer himself, but organizer of many events and a poet and photographer. after all of the people died in the warehouse he rented and ran the art collective the spotlight was on him for what he built and lilian kim was the first get derick ion almena to address what happened. >> they are my friends, my family, my loves, my future, what else do i have to say? >> some friends are revealing more of him and the ghost ship warehouse, one former tenant provided this video showing a bathroom with hot waterpowerred by a propane tank. temporary wiring flowing through the building and walls partly dismantled. >> if you are choosing to live in a space like that, you are not choosing it based on safety. you are choosing it based on the people, based on the community.

. >> new, he's apologizing in an interview with the i-team's dan noyes. >> somehow, he didn't think he'daught for lies he toeldz to many. the nfl's toys for tots program is bouncing back. art medina had to resign. he arranged color guards and fund-raisers and left behind angry players and veterans. >> i can't imagine what they'd do if they found him. just too bad. he took us for a ride. and fooled a lot of people. >> he claims he's there because of threats received. >> i'm a marine. >> you were briefly. >> you had to earn the title. >> how? >> i finished boot camp. that is what i meant. >> records obtained by the i-team confirm he dropped out of the u.s. marines school of infantry and deserted, gone almost 10 years before his arrest weeks in the brig discharge. he convinced many are fought in fallujah. >> you traded on the history with sacrifice of the people. what do you want to say to the families? >> you earned your keep and i'm sorry. >> in san francisco, a document interviewed him. he met marines and included donald trump's nominee for defense he told me he raised $6,000 supposed to

dan noyes spoke with a former nanny for the man who ran the ghost ship, derick ion almena. >> this placengerous overall. just the amount of "stuff," in there and where it was placed. there were neils coming out of the ground, the staircase, a lot of people are hearing about, that was a real thing, and the makeshift staircase. >> you can see the staircase where many of victims may have become trapped. a neighbor said the family complainted repeatedly over the past two years about parties and the dangers at warehouse but little was continue. >> many artists in oakland are worried what happened to the ghost ship collective could start a crackdown on other artist spaces >> the mayor is respond saying she is here to help. matt? >> i am standing on the other side of where amy is standing where they held the press conference earlier and there is a lot of activity on this side with a pg&e arriving dealing with power issues and there are firefighters working on the building. this memorial on 31st avenue is growing and you can see the flowers and notes and our community has been devastated. they a

dan noyes went through court records from deck derrick -- from derick ion almena the founder.er an argument with a promoter and a friend in january of 2015 the men filed restraining orders against derick ion almena saying they suffered injuries but did not appear in court and it was denied. the same month, derick ion almenas with arrested at a warehouse on possession of stolen property. he was on probation at time of the weekend fire. a federal tenant said people lived in the trailers parked on the first floor and small areas throughout the warehouse and up to 18 to 20 people at a time. >> if you are choosing to live in a space like that, you are not choosing it based on safety. you are choosing it based on the people you choose, based on the community. >> derrick $paid $4,500 a month to rent the warehouse and would charge denants $400 to $1,500 for rent. we up to 20 people at a time, and he was not in it for the money. >> we spoke with the alameda county sheriff about the last several days and how they have been for the department's tireless team of workers. >> tough to do re

dan noyes spoke with a former nanny who ran ghost ship, derick ion almena. >> eight was more like, this place is dangerous over all, it wasn't -- the amount of "constitute," in there and where it was placed. there were nailed coming out of the ground, the stare case, a lot of people are hearing about, that was a real thing. the makeshift staircase. >> and now, more on the staircase. this is a photo of it, many of the victims became trapped because they could not get up or down the stair case. down the stair case. the it team has complaint continue. >> there are two campaigns gathering money. one has shattered to goals, now sure spaing their $10,000 goal to $300,000. they are working with the mayor and the american red cross. another fund benefits matching dough in additions from the a's and radar pledges up to $30 the in matches. the warriors will donate $50,000 and so far, this has raised $303,000. >> you can share a badge on facebook on our. abc7news.com. >> officials are holding another news conference in an hour at 6:00 and you can watch it right here, and we will central it for you