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ghost ship fire

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The deadly fire at Oakland’s Ghost Ship warehouse party may have been caused by a fridge or other electrical appliance, investigators say.

Investigators say they are looking at “anything electrical” on the first floor of the venue, where the blaze started on December 2.

According to California officials, 36 people are now confirmed dead, and 35 have been already identified.

They earlier warned that murder charges were also possible.

Image source Twitter

Image source Twitter

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said on December 5 that her office had yet to determine whether a crime had occurred.

Charges could range from murder to involuntary manslaughter, Nancy O’Malley added.

On December 6, special agent Jill Snyder, the head of San Francisco’s office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said a fridge was a potential source of the blaze.

However, she stressed that the investigators were yet to make their final conclusions.

Jill Snyder added that “we have no indication” that the fire had been set intentionally.

It is thought 50-100 people were inside the venue when the fire broke out.

The fire caused the roof to collapse on to the second floor, part of which then fell through to the ground floor.

The building was used to house artists in improvised studios but several reports say people were illegally living there too.

Oakland media named Derick Ion Almena as the co-operator of the collective with his partner, Micah Allison.

A Facebook post by Derick Ion lamenting the loss of his belongings but saying he was “blessed that my children and Micah were at a hotel safe and sound” drew a barrage of criticism online.

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According to Oakland officials, 30 people were found dead inside the site of the Ghost Ship warehouse fire, and that number is expected to rise.

Only about 20% of the building has been searched and “a significant number” of people are still missing, officials said.

It is unclear what caused the fire at the converted warehouse.

The safety record of the building is under close scrutiny. There were no sprinklers. The only exit from the second floor was a makeshift stairwell.

Meanwhile, a man identified by former residents as the collective’s co-operator, has drawn criticism for a Facebook post, in which he wrote that “everything I worked so hard for is gone”, without acknowledging those who died.

Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach-Reed said between 50 and 100 people were inside the venue when the fire started on December 2.

Image source abc7

Image source abc7

The old warehouse, known as the Ghost Ship, was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna and six other acts.

The fire caused the roof to collapse on to the second floor, part of which then fell through to the ground floor.

The building did not have a sprinkler system and firefighters did not hear any alarms when they arrived, Teresa Deloach-Reed said.

The warehouse, which housed artists in improvised studios, was packed with furniture, mannequins and other objects, obstructing firefighters’ efforts to put out the blaze, she added.

“It was filled end to end with furniture, whatnot, collections. It was like a maze, almost.”

Fire crews worked all night at the scene. The search for bodies is expected to continue for at least another 48 hours.

Oakland Fire Dept. Batt. Chief Melinda Drayton said firefighters were going through the debris “bucket by bucket”.

“It was quiet, it was heartbreaking,” she said, choking back tears.

“This will be a long and arduous process.

“We don’t believe we have even gotten close to the origin of the fire.”

Melinda Drayton said every precaution was being taken to treat the victims’ remains with respect.

Only three of the bereaved families are believed to have had their loved ones’ deaths confirmed, due to issues with identification.

Oakland’s Planning Department said it had opened an investigation into the premises last month after complaints from neighbors about rubbish, and of people living inside, against building regulations.

One former resident, Shelley Mack, told the AP the building was “like a horror house”, adding that there was no electricity or running water.

Media in Oakland named Derick Ion as the co-operator of the collective with his partner, Micah Allison.

A Facebook post by Derick Ion lamenting the loss of his belongings but saying he was “blessed that my children and Micah were at a hotel safe and sound” drew a barrage of criticism online.

Neither co-owner has commented publicly and their whereabouts are unknown.

Much of the work in the wake of the fire has focused on securing the building to allow search teams and investigators to enter.

Relatives of those who are missing have gathered at the Oakland coroners’ office.

At least nine people have died and other 25 are missing after a fire broke up at the Ghost Ship nightclub in Oakland, California.

According to authorities, the fire started at 11:30PM local time on December 2.

The fire became so out of control that at one point all fire units were ordered out of the building.

The venue was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna as part of its 100% Silk tour.

Image source Twitter

Image source Twitter

Local broadcasters said some 13 other people were missing. The KTVU network said about 50 people were inside.

The building housed artists in studios, it said. It did not appear to be a formal concert venue.

One of the artists who lived in the building, photographer Bob Mule, told the East Bay Times he tried but failed to help a friend get out.

“I literally felt my skin peeling and my lungs being suffocated by smoke,” he said.

“I couldn’t get the fire extinguisher to work.”

Fire chief Teresa Deloach-Read told the newspaper the building had no sprinkler system.

Videos posted on social media by the fire department showed a large fire burning through the roof of the building. Three fire engines were called out.

The event’s Facebook page said the event, that featured seven acts, was to be held in a secret location in the east of Oakland that was announced only on the day it was held.