Fire at rave kills up to 40 people
Warehouse layout, labelled a ‘maze’ by fire chief, made escape difficult as building filled with smoke
UP TO 40 people were feared dead last night after a fire broke out at a rave in a converted warehouse in California.
Nine people were confirmed dead but that figure was expected to rise once firefighters had gained access to the whole the building.
Witnesses said the blaze spread incredibly quickly, and the maze-like layout of the building, used by an artists’ collective, prevented many people from escaping.
Family members and friends gathered near the site in Oakland, waiting for news of loved ones. Authorities did not comment on the cause of the fire.
UP TO 40 people were feared dead yesterday after a fire broke out during a rave at a converted warehouse in Oakland, California.
The blaze began during an electronic music event at the venue, which had been converted into an artists’ collective. Nine people were initially confirmed dead, but a full search was delayed after the building’s roof collapsed, and dozens remained missing. Officials said 50 or more had been inside.
The county coroner’s office said it was preparing for up to 40 bodies, and a police spokesman said the victim count could well rise that high. “That wouldn’t be too far off based on what I’m hearing. It is a lot of casualties at this point,” Ray Kelly, the spokesman, told KTVU news.
Bob Mule, an artist who lives at the warehouse, described it as a “24-hour artist collective”, with 18 artists residing there. He said he was downstairs when he smelled burning. He said the building quickly filled with smoke, and that an artist in the cubicle next to him began shouting for help.
“It was too hot, too much smoke, I couldn’t see him. I had to get out of there,” he said. “I hope he’s OK. I literally felt my skin peeling and my lungs being suffocated by smoke. I couldn’t get the fire extinguisher to work,” Mr Mule told the East Bay Times.
Al Garcia, who owns a store across the street from the scene, said he had found two teenagers who had escaped the fire crying in the doorway, one of whom told him what happened. “He told me the smoke overran them as they were coming down, and he told me there was people behind them and that no one came out behind them. And that’s why they were crying, they knew there were people still in there,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Most of those found dead were on the second floor, where the concert apparently took place. The first and second floors were linked by a “makeshift staircase” of wooden pallets. Teresa Deloche Reed, Oakland’s fire chief, described the building as “a maze”.
“It must have been a really fast-moving fire,” she said. “I don’t know where the fire started, but I do know that the way the building was situated made it difficult for people to escape.”
“It was filled end to end with furniture, whatnot, collections. It was like a maze almost,” she said, adding the disaster was “a true loss for the city”.
Ms Reed said she could not comment on how the blaze might have started. A witness said people inside had been smoking, and that there were many books as well as wooden furniture.
Fire extinguishers were found on the ground inside, but there was no evidence of any sprinkler system or that smoke detectors had been activated.
According to the Los Angeles Times, city records showed that the building had at least three code violations this year. In one complaint, city inspectors said there was illegal building on the property as well as piles of rubbish.
“This property is a storage [facility] but the owner turned it to become a trash recycle site. The yard became a trash collection site and the main building was remodeled for residential,” the records said.
Libby Schaaf, Oakland’s mayor, said: “This is a devastating scene. This is complicated. It is going to take us time to do the thorough methodical investigation these people deserve.”
Noel Gallo, a city councillor, said parties at the warehouse had been an “ongoing challenge”.
Some of those who escaped the fire posted on the Facebook page for Golden Donna, the electronic artist who was performing at the warehouse. Family members searching for loved ones also posted on the page seeking information.
The families of the missing also gathered nearby. Terry Ewing, whose girlfriend was inside the warehouse, said he was “hoping for the best”.
“The people in that place are very loved,” he said.