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| Death Toll in Deadly Warehouse Fire Rises to 24 as Search Goes On | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| OAKLAND, Calif. — Firefighters picking through the ruins of a warehouse “literally bucket by bucket” found 15 more bodies overnight, bringing the death toll to 24 from a fire that ripped through a makeshift nightclub on Friday. It will take days to search the rest of the building, officials said Sunday at a news conference. | |
| “We have located 24 deceased victims of this fire,” Sgt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said. “We anticipate that the number of victims will rise.” | |
| In one of the deadliest structure fires in the United States in the last decade, partygoers in the two-story converted warehouse were asphyxiated on Friday night by thick black fumes, which poured from the building’s windows for several hours. Survivors stood across the street in a Wendy’s parking lot, watching firefighters try to put out the blaze and rescue those inside. | |
| “We will be here for days and days to come,” Sergeant Kelly said. | |
| Melinda Drayton, battalion chief for the Oakland Fire Department, said rescue workers had spent the night sifting through the charred warehouse, methodically removing debris to a lot across the street where it was hauled away be dump trucks. | |
| “It was quiet, it was heartbreaking,” Chief Drayton said of the search, in which firefighters had been able to access only about 20 percent of the warehouse. | |
| Oakland officials said that it could take up to several days to search the rambling, structurally insecure warehouse, while ensuring the safety of emergency personnel. The building, which they described as “a labyrinth of artist studios,” had been under investigation for several months. They said escape from the building, which had only two exits, might have been complicated because the first and second floors were linked by an ad hoc staircase made of wooden pallets. | |
| By Saturday afternoon, a list of those missing, compiled by friends and family, had grown to about 35 people. | |
| Sergeant Kelly told reporters that excavators and a crane were being brought in to help in the recovery and that the building had been flooded with light to allow rescue work to continue through the night. | |
| “We know that there are bodies in there that we cannot get to, that have been seen but have not been recovered,” Sergeant Kelly said at an evening news conference. | “We know that there are bodies in there that we cannot get to, that have been seen but have not been recovered,” Sergeant Kelly said at an evening news conference. |
| Others who were believed to be missing have been accounted for, he said, adding, “We have been able to put some families’ fears at ease.” | Others who were believed to be missing have been accounted for, he said, adding, “We have been able to put some families’ fears at ease.” |
| Earlier on Saturday, Sergeant Kelly said the authorities were “expecting the worst, maybe a couple dozen victims.” | Earlier on Saturday, Sergeant Kelly said the authorities were “expecting the worst, maybe a couple dozen victims.” |
| “It appears that people either made it out or they didn’t make it out,” he said. | “It appears that people either made it out or they didn’t make it out,” he said. |
| Firefighters arrived just before midnight Friday, and the fire was still smoldering more than 12 hours later. | Firefighters arrived just before midnight Friday, and the fire was still smoldering more than 12 hours later. |
| One survivor, Aja Archuleta, 29, a musician, was scheduled to perform at the electronic music party with her synthesizers and drum machines around 1 a.m. and was working at the door when the fire broke out around 11 or 11:15 p.m. | One survivor, Aja Archuleta, 29, a musician, was scheduled to perform at the electronic music party with her synthesizers and drum machines around 1 a.m. and was working at the door when the fire broke out around 11 or 11:15 p.m. |
| “There were two people on the first level who had spotted a small fire that was growing quickly,” she said. “It was a very quick and chaotic build, from a little bit of chaos to a lot of chaos.” | “There were two people on the first level who had spotted a small fire that was growing quickly,” she said. “It was a very quick and chaotic build, from a little bit of chaos to a lot of chaos.” |
| She added, “I have lost 20 friends in the past 24 hours.” | She added, “I have lost 20 friends in the past 24 hours.” |
| Family members of the missing expressed anguish over spending hours waiting to know if their relatives were inside. | Family members of the missing expressed anguish over spending hours waiting to know if their relatives were inside. |
| Daniel Vega, 36, said he was “infuriated” waiting to hear news about his 22-year-old brother, Alex Vega, who had not answered his phone Saturday morning. Mr. Vega said he had heard from a friend that his brother was at the party. | Daniel Vega, 36, said he was “infuriated” waiting to hear news about his 22-year-old brother, Alex Vega, who had not answered his phone Saturday morning. Mr. Vega said he had heard from a friend that his brother was at the party. |
| “Give me some gloves. I’ve got work shoes. I’m ready,” Mr. Vega said. “Let me find my brother, that’s all I want.” | “Give me some gloves. I’ve got work shoes. I’m ready,” Mr. Vega said. “Let me find my brother, that’s all I want.” |
| The building’s roof had collapsed, and the site was a dangerous scene of debris, beams and other wreckage. The structure had a permit to function as a warehouse, but not as a residence or for a party. Officials said they were investigating reports that the building had also been used as a living space. | The building’s roof had collapsed, and the site was a dangerous scene of debris, beams and other wreckage. The structure had a permit to function as a warehouse, but not as a residence or for a party. Officials said they were investigating reports that the building had also been used as a living space. |
| At the news conference, Mayor Libby Schaaf said: “This is complicated. And it’s going to take us time to do the investigation that these families deserve.” | At the news conference, Mayor Libby Schaaf said: “This is complicated. And it’s going to take us time to do the investigation that these families deserve.” |
| The building, known as the Ghost Ship, in the Fruitvale neighborhood, was the site of an event that was to feature a range of experimental and electronic music, performed by a synth musician drawing from the “black, queer diaspora” and others, as well as a visual installation. On Saturday morning, the event’s Facebook page said admission to the show was $10 for those who arrived before 11 p.m. and $15 after that. By the end of the day, the pricing had disappeared and the page had turned into an emergency message board, as dozens of friends and family members posted about missing loved ones. | The building, known as the Ghost Ship, in the Fruitvale neighborhood, was the site of an event that was to feature a range of experimental and electronic music, performed by a synth musician drawing from the “black, queer diaspora” and others, as well as a visual installation. On Saturday morning, the event’s Facebook page said admission to the show was $10 for those who arrived before 11 p.m. and $15 after that. By the end of the day, the pricing had disappeared and the page had turned into an emergency message board, as dozens of friends and family members posted about missing loved ones. |
| “A lot of these people are young people,” Sergeant Kelly said. “They are from all parts of our community.” Some of the dead may be citizens of other countries, he said. | “A lot of these people are young people,” Sergeant Kelly said. “They are from all parts of our community.” Some of the dead may be citizens of other countries, he said. |
| Images from the building’s website depict a wooden studio filled with antiques, sculptures and curios. Old lamps, musical instruments, suitcases and rugs decorated the ornate space. | Images from the building’s website depict a wooden studio filled with antiques, sculptures and curios. Old lamps, musical instruments, suitcases and rugs decorated the ornate space. |
| Emergency workers said they arrived to find the building filled with heavy smoke and flames. Bodies were found on the second floor of the building, Chief Teresa Deloach Reed of the Oakland Fire Department said Saturday. | Emergency workers said they arrived to find the building filled with heavy smoke and flames. Bodies were found on the second floor of the building, Chief Teresa Deloach Reed of the Oakland Fire Department said Saturday. |
| “In my career of 30 years, I haven’t experienced something of this magnitude,” she said. | “In my career of 30 years, I haven’t experienced something of this magnitude,” she said. |
| Even without a full accounting, the fire was one of the deadliest in the United States in many years. In 2003, 100 people were killed in a fire in a nightclub in Warwick, R.I. An explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas in 2013 killed 15 people. | Even without a full accounting, the fire was one of the deadliest in the United States in many years. In 2003, 100 people were killed in a fire in a nightclub in Warwick, R.I. An explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas in 2013 killed 15 people. |
| Chief Deloach Reed said there were “no reports of smoke alarms going off.” At least two fire extinguishers were inside, she said. | Chief Deloach Reed said there were “no reports of smoke alarms going off.” At least two fire extinguishers were inside, she said. |
| On the event’s Facebook page, people distributed a spreadsheet that listed identifying information — age, height, weight, hair color, tattoos — and contact numbers for many of those who were unaccounted for. | On the event’s Facebook page, people distributed a spreadsheet that listed identifying information — age, height, weight, hair color, tattoos — and contact numbers for many of those who were unaccounted for. |
| Oakland’s music and art scene was already struggling with high rent prices. The city’s underground bands and artists live a seminomadic existence in search of warehouses, homes and other spaces to show art, play music and dance into the early hours. | Oakland’s music and art scene was already struggling with high rent prices. The city’s underground bands and artists live a seminomadic existence in search of warehouses, homes and other spaces to show art, play music and dance into the early hours. |
| Diego Aguilar-Canabal, 24, a blogger and freelance writer who lives in Berkeley and plays guitar in a band called the Noriegas, estimated he had been to three dozen house and warehouse parties over the past two years. | Diego Aguilar-Canabal, 24, a blogger and freelance writer who lives in Berkeley and plays guitar in a band called the Noriegas, estimated he had been to three dozen house and warehouse parties over the past two years. |
| “The basic idea is people want to do loud things late at night, and industrial space is really good for that because there aren’t many neighbors to complain,” he said. “There’s a lot of anxiety about income inequality and class warfare, and a lot of these artists are trying to do the best they can to have a community.” | “The basic idea is people want to do loud things late at night, and industrial space is really good for that because there aren’t many neighbors to complain,” he said. “There’s a lot of anxiety about income inequality and class warfare, and a lot of these artists are trying to do the best they can to have a community.” |
| Mr. Aguilar-Canabal has been to the Ghost Ship once, last summer, and remembered it as a dim and cluttered area with a “maze” of furniture, canvas paintings on the walls and papier-mâché hanging from the ceilings. | Mr. Aguilar-Canabal has been to the Ghost Ship once, last summer, and remembered it as a dim and cluttered area with a “maze” of furniture, canvas paintings on the walls and papier-mâché hanging from the ceilings. |
| “The reason we left was that it had only had one source of water, which was a sink, and the water tasted really gross,” he recalled. “We went to a corner store to get something to drink and were like, ‘Let’s just go home.’” | “The reason we left was that it had only had one source of water, which was a sink, and the water tasted really gross,” he recalled. “We went to a corner store to get something to drink and were like, ‘Let’s just go home.’” |
| Mr. Aguilar-Canabal flew to Vancouver early Saturday morning, and first read about the blaze on Twitter. Instead of going to bed, he stayed up tracking the fire on social media until it was time to go to the airport. He spent most of the day looking for the names of friends who he thinks were killed, and calling Highland Hospital in Oakland. | Mr. Aguilar-Canabal flew to Vancouver early Saturday morning, and first read about the blaze on Twitter. Instead of going to bed, he stayed up tracking the fire on social media until it was time to go to the airport. He spent most of the day looking for the names of friends who he thinks were killed, and calling Highland Hospital in Oakland. |
| “It’s just a really surreal experience to be refreshing a window to see if names are confirmed to be missing or not missing,” he said. “I’m keeping track of a couple names and hoping they end up being in a hospital.” | “It’s just a really surreal experience to be refreshing a window to see if names are confirmed to be missing or not missing,” he said. “I’m keeping track of a couple names and hoping they end up being in a hospital.” |