Geoff Palmer settles lawsuit brought by City of LA

The City of Los Angeles settled its $20 million lawsuit against developer Geoff Palmer over the 2014 Da Vinci apartment complex fire on Monday.

Terms of the settlement have yet to be disclosed, city attorney spokesperson Rob Wilcox told the Los Angeles Times. It will now go to City Council for approval, he said.

The city sued Palmer last February, claiming the developer neglected to take the necessary precautions to protect his development against the fire, which damaged nearby buildings including the city-owned Department of Water and Power building. The complex did not have firewalls of an adequate water supply to fight the flames, the suit claimed, and also lacked security measures to prevent break-ins.

Meanwhile, the man charged with igniting the fire was sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to prosecutors.

Dawud Abdulwali admitted that he used an accelerant to start the blaze, which melted freeway signs and damaged surrounding properties. He faced life in prison, but because he pleaded no contest to one count of arson, he was offered a plea deal, according to the county district attorney’s office.

Although no one was injured in the fire, it cost between $20 million and $30 million in damages and $100 million in lost potential revenue, as well as $50 million in damage to the Department of Water and Power building. [LAT] — Cathaleen Chen