X
    Categories: Featured

Oakland Concert Fire Kills At Least Nine

Oakland concert crowd caught in a warehouse fire

Friends and family rushed to social media on Saturday in search of loved ones after a fire tore through a California warehouse party, leaving at least nine dead and dozens of others missing.

Fire officials have not yet been able to search the Oakland building, which hosted electronic artist Golden Donna and a crowd of at least 50 people during the Friday night dance party. The blaze reportedly broke out about 11:30 p.m. at the live-work space and continued to burn early Saturday morning.

A woman named Eveline Darroch created a thread on the dance party’s Facebook event page where concert-goers can list themselves as safe while family members and friends can inquire into those still missing.

At least 9 people are confirmed dead and 25 others are unaccounted for in a three-alarm fire at a warehouse in Oakland where people were having a party.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant J.D. Nelson says the building is not safe enough to enter. He also says the coroner’s office is preparing for 40 or more bodies. No bodies have been removed from the building. Nelson says this is the largest mass casualty they have prepared for since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed says the cause is unknown and a task force will be assisting with the investigation. Reed also says the building was densely packed. The second floor likely had a makeshift stairwell made out of pallets.

The majority of victims were on the second floor.

The building likely did not have sprinklers, fire detectors.

The party had a band and was scheduled to have performances at this venue from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m.

Anywhere from 50-100 people were in the small building where a fire broke out at what some are calling a “rave”.

The roof of the building collapsed down to the second floor.

There are still large portions of the building that has not been searched.

Fire officials say they do not believe the building had sprinklers.

Video from KGO TV and information from the ASSOCIATED PRESS was used in this story. 

James Williams: Jim Williams is the Washington Bureau Chief, Digital Director as well as the Director of Special Projects for Genesis Communications. He is starting his third year as part of the team. This is Williams 40th year in the media business, and in that time he has served in a number of capacities. He is a seven time Emmy Award winning television producer, director, writer and executive. He has developed four regional sports networks, directed over 2,000 live sporting events including basketball, football, baseball hockey, soccer and even polo to name a few sports. Major events include three Olympic Games, two World Cups, two World Series, six NBA Playoffs, four Stanley Cup Playoffs, four NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship Tournaments (March Madness), two Super Bowl and over a dozen college bowl games. On the entertainment side Williams was involved s and directed over 500 concerts for Showtime, Pay Per View and MTV Networks.
Related Post