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| Oakland fire: Nine die during California club night | Oakland fire: Nine die during California club night |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least nine people have died in a fire during a club night near San Francisco, authorities say. | At least nine people have died in a fire during a club night near San Francisco, authorities say. |
| Oakland fire chief Teresa Deloach-Reed said at least another 13 people were unaccounted for. | |
| The fire started at 23:30 local time on Friday (07:30 GMT Saturday) in Oakland, police told the BBC. | The fire started at 23:30 local time on Friday (07:30 GMT Saturday) in Oakland, police told the BBC. |
| The venue was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna. The event's Facebook page indicates a number of people are missing. | The venue was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna. The event's Facebook page indicates a number of people are missing. |
| Authorities told the local KTVU network about 50 people were inside the venue. | |
| The total death toll remains unknown, but the Alameda County sheriff's office said the coroner had prepared for more than 40 bodies. | |
| The building housed artists in studios, it said. It did not appear to be a formal concert venue. Ms Deloach-Reed told reporters that the only exit from the second floor was a staircase made from wooden pallets. | |
| She said firefighters did not hear smoke alarms when they arrived at the scene. | |
| The power to the building has now been switched off and a structural engineer has given the fire department the go-ahead to enter the building, Ms Deloach-Reed said. Specialist rescue teams were on site, she added. | |
| 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. | 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." | "I literally felt my skin peeling and my lungs being suffocated by smoke," he said. "I couldn't get the fire extinguisher to work." |
| Ms Deloach-Reed 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Are you in the area? Did you witness the fire? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your pictures and experiences. | |
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