Lagerhausbrand in Oakland 2016

On December 2, 2016 at around 11:30 p.m., a fire broke out in a converted warehouse that served as an artist collective in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, California. The building was known locally as the Oakland Ghost Ship. At the time of the fire, the warehouse was hosting a concert headlined by electronic musician Golden Donna, which was sponsored by his record label 100% Silk. The fire was one of the deadliest single-structure fires in the history of Oakland, the worst fire in the city since the 1991 Oakland firestorm, and the deadliest tragedy in Oakland since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Fire

It took four to five hours for 52 firefighters to extinguish the blaze. The effort involved 11 fire engines and three fire trucks. A search of the building was impeded when the roof collapsed. Multiple factors may have contributed to the loss of life. There were no fire sprinklers in the building, and firefighters on scene heard no smoke detectors. Upon entering the building, firefighters found it was cluttered with furniture, art, and mannequins; Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed told reporters, "It was like a maze, almost." Deloach Reed said that it appeared that the only stairway to the second floor was a makeshift stairway made of stacked wooden pallets.

Around 50 people were present in the building at the time of the fire, and at least nine were reported dead by police. Twenty-five others are reportedly missing. Officials are expecting the number of deaths to be closer to 40. Few serious but non-lethal injuries were reported; Alameda County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Sgt. Ray Kelly said, "It appears that people either made it out, or they didn’t make it out." A representative from Oakland's Highland Hospital reported receiving two patients, one of whom has been discharged. Golden Donna and the other musicians performing at the concert were reported to have escaped the fire.

Investigation

Before the fire, the building had already been under investigation by the Oakland Planning and Building Department for structural deficiencies. A spokesperson for the department noted that an event like Friday night's concert would have required a special permit, but none had been issued. Complaints of hazardous garbage and construction debris around the building had also been made. The city is investigating whether people were living in the warehouse illegally.

Reactions

Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf referred to the fire as "an immense tragedy". The Oakland A's baseball team offered to match donations for those affected, up to $20,000. A Facebook Safety Check was deployed to help people find the whereabouts of friends and family who might have been in attendance.

External links

• Oakland Ghost Ship web site