Oakland fire marshal resigns from heading beleaguered bureau

Oakland Fire Chief Darin White has a meeting in his office Nov. 30. White will take over as fire marshal after the resignation Friday of Miguel Trujillo. Oakland Fire Chief Darin White has a meeting in his office Nov. 30. White will take over as fire marshal after the resignation Friday of Miguel Trujillo. Photo: Michael Short / Special To The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Michael Short / Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Oakland fire marshal resigns from heading beleaguered bureau 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Oakland’s fire marshal resigned Friday after months of scrutiny on the overextended, often-troubled fire-prevention unit that he led.

Miguel Trujillo assumed the position in 2015 after working in the Oxnard Fire Department in Southern California. He leaves now for Gilroy, where he will be fire marshal for the city that’s one-eighth the size of Oakland.

City officials said Friday they have started a search to find Trujillo’s replacement. In the meantime, Fire Chief Darin White will concurrently serve as fire marshal.

The scenario is a repeat from the days of White’s predecessor, Teresa Deloach Reed, who served as fire chief and fire marshal from 2013 to 2015.

“I am excited to launch a recruitment effort that will enable me to accelerate and realize my stated goal of reorganizing the Fire Prevention Bureau to focus on strong leadership and oversight, strategic planning, division restructure, improved accountability, efficient processes, subject matter expertise and professional acumen — all of which are required to meet evolving fire prevention needs and public education and outreach requirements — for our unique Oakland community,” White said in a statement.

The Fire Prevention Bureau faced questions after the Ghost Ship disaster killed 36 people in 2016 and revealed that no official inspection of the warehouse had ever been conducted.

In the eight years leading up to the inferno, no one held the permanent position of sworn assistant fire marshal, largely due to budget cuts.

Until recently, the bureau had been using inspection software described by its users as out-of-date, inconsistent and incomplete. The system, which was missing records for a number of city buildings, was blamed for some lapses in inspections required by state law.

At a preliminary hearing last year against Ghost Ship defendants Derick Almena and Max Harris — each charged with 36 counts of manslaughter — Trujillo appeared to contradict the testimony of an Oakland fire captain.

George Freelen had told a judge that during an informal 20-minute survey of the warehouse in 2014, he grew concerned about the “high fire load” of material stocked inside the artist collective. He said he sent a one-page report to the Fire Prevention Bureau to get clarity on what the building was supposed to be used for, but did not hear back or follow up.

Trujillo, however, said in court that the city had no records of any complaint about dangers at the warehouse prior to the fire.

The city said Friday it is seeking candidates for fire marshal who demonstrate “responsiveness, persuasiveness and effective communications skills necessary to collaborate with a wide range of officials representing local, state and federal agencies; community groups; and many other public and private representatives.”