USA TODAY International Edition
Manager of Oakland warehouse ' incredibly sorry'
Death toll rises to at least 36 as search resumes after building is declared secure
OAKLAND The manager of Oakland's Ghost Ship expressed sorrow Tuesday for the fiery tragedy that killed 36 people at a dance party last week as authorities announced all but one of the victims had been identified.
Derick Almena, manager of the warehouse- turned- artist- cooperative, told NBC's Today that the building was a place for artists whose "dreams were bigger than your pocketbook" and needed shelter and a place to develop their craft.
“I’m incredibly sorry," Almena said. "Everything that I did was to make this a stronger and more beautiful community and to bring people together.”
Almena, 47, said when he signed the lease more than three years ago he assumed the building met city standards. He and his family lived there, he added.
“People didn’t walk through those doors because it was a horrible place," he told Today. "People didn’t seek us out to perform and express themselves because it was a horrible place.”
Most of the victims were in their 20s or 30s. A few were teenagers. Sgt. Ray Kelly, spokesman for the Alameda County sheriff, said some of victims texted simple messages to loved ones as the fire roared through the warehouse. One set of texts: "I'm going to die" followed by "I love you."
Kelly said searchers found bodies of people "protecting each other, holding each other."
Robert Lipp, a battalion chief for the Oakland Fire Department, said about 85% of the building had been searched and he did not anticipate the death toll would rise. Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy Tya Modeste said the families of 26 of the victims have been notified. Nine other victims have been tentatively identified, she said.
Lipp said authorities located the place where the fire started but have yet to determine the cause.
Fire raced through the clut- tered building Friday night during a concert and dance party on the second floor. The only route to the first floor exits was a dark, rickety stairway, officials said. The building was not equipped with fire sprinklers or smoke detectors.
The city buildings department started an investigation into the property last month citing “illegal interior building structure.”
The family of Chor Ng, owner of the Ghost Ship property, issued a statement to KNTV in San Jose.
“I’m sorry but we do not have any comment, we are also trying to figure out what’s going on like everybody else,” the statement said. "We’re so sorry to hear about the tragedy. Our condolences go out to the families and friends of those injured and those who lost their lives.”
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said it was too early to determine if anyone would face criminal charges in the case.
"The range of charges could be murder all the way to involuntary manslaughter," she said. "We won't know until we finish our investigation."
On Monday, President Obama sent prayers to a “devastated” community while authorities in Oakland struggled with the bleak effort to remove remains from the warehouse where a Friday fire claimed at least 36 lives.
“While we still don’t know the full toll of this disaster, we do know that an American community has been devastated,” Obama said.
Work was halted for about nine hours Monday after authorities determined the building was dangerously unstable for firefighters inching through the wreckage, said Fire Battalion Chief Melinda Drayton.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said it was too early to determine if anyone would face criminal charges in the case