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 ...
People were known to fall asleep on the sofas, cigarettes dangling from their lips as the snoozed.
The teens told him they paid $10 to get into the warehouse party, which they found online.
The event was thrown by a Los Angeles-based label called 100% Silk.
The location was announced on Facebook just hours before the party, and 285 people checked in on the social media platform as attending.
LINK
What is link please?
Thanks!
Aha!
Ex-tenant: Oakland warehouse was often frigid, lacked water
AP on SFGate.com
http://www.sfgate.com/news/us/article/Former-tenant-Oakland-warehouse-was-unsafe-10690782.php
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.
...
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.
In the 70s I went to a rock concert in Chicago with Mr. Mercat. It was a rickety old building. He would probably remember the name. It was somewhere famous and the band was famous. haha. And people had removed the chairs and were lighting candles and putting them on the floor and smoking dope. I went down to the lobby, found a pay phone and called the fire department. They showed up and although they did not shut down the concert they prevented anyone else from coming. Mr. M didn’t want to leave. We survived.
Before you say that since the chairs were removed it could not have been anywhere or anyone famous, you don’t know the scene in the 60s and 70s when we were going to these events. I was able to sneak into a Rolling Stones concert. I saw Roy Orbison in a little walk up room in Ft. Worth. I’m really old. LOL
BenLurkin, I’m not sure how many of those actually showed up.
It is a reference, but I’m not sure how solid it is.
City in expedited cover-up mode!
Agree. Although because there are some foreigners it may be their families don’t know they’re missing. Even so, they likely have local friends they text and talk with so they would report them missing.
I thought that the latest number of 33 would be the total but the fire dept says there’s more and they’ve gotten through 30% of building.
Not sure what’s up with the mayor, I saw some people on Twitter saying she was hostile at press conf. I expect she’s thinking of the liability the city is looking at.
Doubtful there were many if any illegals. Raves mostly consist of kids from middle to upper class families.
2 UC Berkeley students missing after Oakland warehouse fire
Jessica Lynn and Cassandra Vogel
Th Daily Californian
Dec 3 2016
http://www.dailycal.org/2016/12/03/uc-berkeley-student-missing-oakland-warehouse-fire/
(note, a comment alleges that at least 3 UCB students actually died in the fire, not 2 as the article title claims)
Which code officials responsible for the compliance with the laws have unexplained deposits in their bank accounts, or own homes or vehicles they could not be expected to afford on their municipal wages?
I saw Springsteen for a dollar admission. So I might be older!
Seems to me the city was on the right track. They had inspectors out there and couldn’t gain access. They were going back. Should they have done it earlier? Probably so.
For that reason, they probably are open to liability.
I suspect the owner, the band, any people who helped attract a crowd are in serious trouble here.
The band has stopped their tour and is heading home. I’m sure they’d love to vaporize for a couple of years until this blows over. Not gonna happen.
Site owners, participants (entertainment), managers, even some of the public who help draw people in could be named in a wrongful death suit.
These events are dangerous. This is only one of the reasons why. Under-aged kids were involved. I wouldn’t be surprised if alcohol was being served.
There are so many infractions here...
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