Officials fear up to 40 dead in fire during concert at Oakland warehouse
Source: LATimes.com
hrough a converted warehouse crowded with people attending a Friday night concert in Oakland.
Alameda County sheriffs Sgt. Ray Kelly said Saturday officials were prepared for up to 40 fatalities. He said many of those inside the warehouse were young, some from foreign countries.
There is no known cause of the fire. While arson is not suspected, Kelly said investigators are on scene and nothing has been ruled out. The warehouse isnt currently considered a crime scene.
Officials believe there likely are more fatalities because there are friends and family who still have not heard from some people who attended the concert. Kelly said there were relatively few injuries among those who escaped.
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-oakland-fire-nine-dead-warehouse-20161203-story.html
Hideous tragedy...
The place was apparently being used as an unlicensed entertainment venue.
sadly,
Bright
KT2000
(20,544 posts)It does not look like much space was used for artists to work, where did they live, were they paying rent, apparently there was an entrance fee to the concert. Was this the renter's art project? Lots of questions about this but it sounds like there were plenty of lies concerning use of the building.
Judi Lynn
(160,219 posts)Former tenant: Run-down warehouse sometimes lacked utilities
Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press
Updated 1:42 am, Monday, December 5, 2016
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Shelley Mack says she didn't know the converted Oakland warehouse known as the "Ghost Ship" was an illegal residence until after she moved in, when she was instructed to tell visitors it was a 24-hour workspace for artists.
The building was often freezing cold. Water and power were sometimes stolen from neighbors, who would get angry and shut them off. Once, a generator blew up, and residents quickly doused the flames, she said.
Mack, a 58-year-old tech sales worker and jewelry maker, lived in the warehouse for four or five months about two years ago. On Friday night, fire ripped through the cluttered space during a dance party, killing at least 33 people. Oakland officials say the death toll is expected to rise.
The building was crammed with rugs, old sofas and a garage-sale-like collection of pianos, paintings, turntables, statues and other items that quickly fed the flames.
More:
http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Former-tenant-Oakland-warehouse-was-unsafe-10690782.php