Posted on 12/04/2016 3:59:15 PM PST by Brilliant
Sheriff's investigators at the scene of the Oakland fire on Saturday. At least nine people are confirmed dead and several dozen are missing after a fire ripped through the the "Ghost Ship" warehouse in Oakland...
As many as 100 people were crowded inside the warehouse for a party when the blaze erupted. They struggled to escape the flames and smoke. Officials fear dozens could have been killed.
City records show that there were habitability complaints made against the property's owner as recently as November 14 regarding an "illegal interior building structure." City inspectors appear to have visited the building on that date, but were unable to verify whether there were code violations. The city's investigation was still pending when the fire broke out last night.
On November 13 another complaint had been lodged against the property's owner alleging "a ton of garbage piling up on the property" next to the warehouse, including possibly "hazardous" materials...
In October 2014, the city cited Ng because of housing and other structures that were being built inside the warehouse without permits.
The previous month, the building was also noticed for blight because of a large number of pallets and construction materials...
Firefighters who battled the blaze last night reported that some of the victims were likely trapped in the building because they couldn't escape down a "makeshift, one-way stairwell" that connected the first and second floor. The stairs were made of wooden pallets, the firefighters Photos of the interior of the warehouse show that it was a labyrinth of rooms and nooks crowded with carpets, furniture, and art — all of it highly flammable.
City officials didn't immediately return calls...
(Excerpt) Read more at m.eastbayexpress.com ...
From the Daily Mail pics of the likely victims, they didn’t look like illegals.
Maybe not. I thought it was interesting though that the city officials said that some of the victims were foreign nationals. You can be certain they would not admit it if it remained open for that reason though.
So was this a bunch of violations by the owner, or did the owner not know that the renter was using the space improperly? It was only supposed to be a warehouse. People weren’t supposed to be living there.
Oakland, Calif., officials say they have 60% of warehouse left to search; 2 known exits to building - CBS LA
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Warehouse fire in Oakland, Calif., Dec. 3, 2016
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Oakland, Calif., mayor clarifies that criminal investigation team has been activated as a precaution in connection to deadly warehouse fire; criminal probe not yet confirmed - Reuters
Officials say bodies are being found in all parts of the Oakland. Calif., warehouse - @sfutterman
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Warehouse fire in Oakland, Calif., Dec. 3, 2016
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Officials confirm teenagers among victims of Oakland, Calif., warehouse fire
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Warehouse fire in Oakland, Calif., Dec. 3, 2016
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Oakland, Calif., fire chief says department reached the warehouse fire within 3 minutes of call
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Warehouse fire in Oakland, Calif., Dec. 3, 2016
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Oakland, Calif., mayor says officials trying to assemble comprehensive record of what was known about the warehouse - @ClaudineKTVU
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Warehouse fire in Oakland, Calif., Dec. 3, 2016
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Alameda County, Calif., deputy’s son is among the dead in Oakland warehouse fire, officials say - @demianbulwa
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Prolly folks with no where else to seek refuge in this 0bama economy.
They got stuck in a “0bamaville”
Artsy fartsy watermelon green crowd more likely than illegals.
“People weren’t supposed to be living there.”
And not supposed to working there in artist’s workshop cubbyholes, and supposed to be having raves there either, which is what was going on when the fire broke out and instantly swept through that deathtrap.
The whole place was illegal and California loves illegality. Who needs legal standards?
Too hip to obey fire codes.
“’We have another 60 plus percent to search, and we’re finding motor homes and trailers where people may have been living inside,’ he said. ‘We don’t even know if people are inside of those, we can’t get into those yet.’”
Uh, yeah, somehow I don’t that’s exactly to code ...
Looks like a rave.
I’d bet there were more than 100 people in there too.
Once those things get going, the people keep coming.
They were probably high, which impaired their ability to save themselves.
So called ‘liberals,’ living on other people’s property.
~70 according to one account
As raves go this was more of a private party apparently
Mostly the local “in-crowd” of post-hipster freakazoids.
Did a search and found some pictures from before it burned... looked like a “Spaghetti Factory” style place with antiques and art everywhere, not like a hideout for illegals. Would be an interesting, crazy place to hang out if it had been properly equipped and up to code...if you’re the only one there and it wasn’t stuffed to the gills with people.
Turned into a flaming maze real quick... varnished picture frames, antiques, canvas, oil paint, dried out wood pallets, lots of fabric, and if there was a frame shop and active studios in it for artists then there’d be all kinds of flammable mediums and solvents and powders and sawdust. Probably not one thing there was treated with flame retardant and everything was tinder.
Could be. I believe I saw one estimate of 100, but who knows.
Thanks for the mention.
You may be right too. I just know that when these kids attend something like this, they text out to their friends.
Maybe not here. I have no way of knowing.
In a city that is notoriously lax, corrupt, and incompetent in enforcing its city codes, a big rave party is held by a sketchy artists collective in packed warehouse that lacks a fire suppression system or proper stairways and fire exits, with a wiring system based on extension cords — what could possibly go wrong?
Place had over a hundred old pianos in it... those alone would be a huge fire hazard.
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