Nine dead after fire breaks out at Golden Donna's Oakland show - UPDATED
[Photo Credit: OaklandFireLive]
UPDATE: Sunday, December 4 at 12:23 p.m. EST
According to an update from CNN, authorities have reported that 24 bodies have been found in the Oakland warehouse fire and there is still 80% of the building to be searched. Parts of the building have been deemed too unsafe for emergency officials to enter.
Alameda County Sheriff Sgt. Ray Kelly says he expects the number to increase. “We have people around the clock and we will be here for days and days to come,” he says.
UPDATE: Saturday, December 3 at 2:45 p.m. EST
According to an update from USA Today, authorities are prepared for up to 40 deaths in the Oakland warehouse fire, even though they've only confirmed that nine people were killed in the blaze.
Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed told reporters there were nine confirmed fatalities, with most of the dead being found on the second floor of the building.
“One of the issues was that leading up to the second floor there was only one way up and down,” Reed said, as USA Today reports. “It was my understanding that the stairwell was kind of makeshift, that they put it together with pallets.”
USA Today reports that Sgt. Ray Kelly, an Alameda County Sheriff's Office spokesman, said that authorities are preparing to launch drones with thermal imaging capability over the building to help find additional victims.
“We'll use those to see if there are anymore hot spots,” Kelly said. “Once the building is somewhat safe for us to go in our coroner personnel will go in to begin the recovery process.”
ORIGINAL POST: Saturday, December 3 at 10:29 a.m. EST
Nine people are dead along with 25 still unaccounted for after a fire erupted at a warehouse party where 100% Silk was hosting Golden Donna's 2016 West Coast Tour.
The East Bay Times is reporting that this “may be the deadliest structure fire in Oakland's history,” adding that “it took an estimated four hours to bring the blaze under control.”
Videos of the fire soon began to make their way on Twitter.
31st- pic.twitter.com/8TX6jk0iYq
— Oakland Firefighters (@OaklandFireLive) December 3, 2016
31st Ave- #oakland @KTVU @kron4news @CBSSF @abc7newsbayarea @allaboutgeorge pic.twitter.com/OecGgnuF6s
— Oakland Firefighters (@OaklandFireLive) December 3, 2016
What was originally the event page on Facebook for the show has turned to a safety check page, where concerned friends and family members are checking on the status of people they knew attended the concert.
“It appeared that no smoke detectors were activated during the fire and there was no sprinkler system in the structure,” The East Bay Times reported, mentioning that the fire began at 11:30 p.m. PST.
