flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Architect sentenced to a year in jail for firefighter's death

Architect sentenced to a year in jail for firefighter's death

The firefighter died while trying to contain a fire in a home the architect had designed for himself.


By BD+C Staff | January 8, 2014

Architect Gerhard Becker was sentenced to a year in LA county jail after pleading no contest to the manslaughter of a firefighter who died while trying to contain a fire in a home the architect had designed for himself (pictured).

The fire began in one of four fireplaces that had been manufactured for outdoor use but hidden within the house itself—a violation of local building codes.

The flames then melted a water pipe that leaked thousands of gallons of water into a ceiling above the heads of firefighters. The ceiling collapsed, crushing a firefighter who died the next day of his injuries.

(http://gizmodo.com/architect-sentenced-to-year-in-jail-for-firefighters-d-1494121774)

Related Stories

75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019

Top Interior Building Products for 2019

Arktura's Delta Drop ceiling and CertainTeed's Decoustics Rondolo wood panels are among the 13 new interior products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report. 

75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019

Top Glass and Glazing Products for 2019

SageGlass's Harmony dynamic glass and Vitro Architectural Glass's Acuity low-iron glass are among the nine new glass and glazing products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.

75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019

Top Flooring Products for 2019

Tarkett’s aviation-inspired flooring collection and J+J Flooring’s textile composite flooring are among the four new commercial flooring products to make Building Design+Construction’​s 2019 101 Top Products report. 

75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019

Top Building Systems Products for 2019

FabricAir’s ceiling-hung fabric duct and Ellumi Lighting’s bacteria-killing lights are among the 13 new building systems products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.

75 Top Building Products | Dec 12, 2019

Top Building Envelope Products for 2019

Sto's beetle-inspired exterior coating and Dörken Systems' UV-resistant vapor-permeable barrier are among the 28 new building envelope products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report. 

Architects | Dec 10, 2019

Calling all emerging architects: Enter to win the $20,000 Forge Prize

This annual steel design competition will recognize three Finalists ($10,000 each) and one Grand Prize Winner ($20,000 total) for their novel concepts in steel-based structures. Entries are due Jan. 15, 2020.

Architects | Dec 9, 2019

Jonathan Moody promoted to CEO of Moody Nolan

New four-member Executive Team also named.

Big Data | Dec 4, 2019

AEC data's coming out party

AEC firms are finally putting to use project information they’ve been storing in their computers for years.

Building Owners | Dec 2, 2019

What building owners and AEC teams need to know about New York’s Climate Mobilization Act

On April 18, 2019, the New York City Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act, a suite of laws aimed to meet the city’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

| Nov 26, 2019

Steinberg Hart and Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture combine to elevate design, expand opportunities and strengthen client relationships

This union creates a national architecture firm with enhanced design capabilities and expertise.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category



Urban Planning

The magic of L.A.’s Melrose Mile

Great streets are generally not initially curated or willed into being. Rather, they emerge organically from unintentional synergies of commercial, business, cultural and economic drivers. L.A.’s Melrose Avenue is a prime example. 


Curtain Wall

7 steps to investigating curtain wall leaks

It is common for significant curtain wall leakage to involve multiple variables. Therefore, a comprehensive multi-faceted investigation is required to determine the origin of leakage, according to building enclosure consultants Richard Aeck and John A. Rudisill with Rimkus. 

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021