Warehouse party fire: 'Astronomical' death toll rises to 33 in California blaze, officials say
Updated
The death toll in a fire that devastated an Oakland California warehouse during a weekend dance party has climbed to 33 people and is expected to rise further as recovery teams push deeper into the charred ruins.
Key points:
- Officials say much of the building still has not been searched
- Authorities warn of a "long and arduous process" still ahead
- Former residents describe venue as a "death trap"
Sergeant Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, announced the recovery of more bodies in the loft building after earlier announcing two dozen bodies had been located.
"That is an astronomical number," Sergeant Kelly said. "We're still not done."
He anticipated the death toll would likely rise as fire officials sifted through the debris-filled shell of the two-storey building, after what they called the deadliest blaze in the city's history.
"In regards to the amount of people that are still missing, yes, it's a significant number," Sergeant Kelly said.
Recovery teams have only searched 35 per cent of the building for victims, according to officials on Sunday evening.
Firefighters have gone through the building searching the debris, "bucket by bucket", battalion chief at the Oakland Fire Department Melinda Drayton told a news conference.
"It was quiet, it was heartbreaking," she said. "This will be a long and arduous process."
Authorities said on Saturday (local time) that nine bodies were initially discovered inside the shell of the structure and that about 25 people were believed to be missing.
On Sunday, officials did not update the number of people who were unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said a criminal investigation into the fire had been launched.
Former residents describe 'maze to get out'
The fire erupted at about 11:30pm (local time) on Friday, during a party featuring electronic dance music that dozens of people attended.
Former residents said the venue was a death trap with few exits and a rickety makeshift staircase.
"If you were not familiar with the building and the way that it was, if you were going there for a party, you wouldn't be aware of the maze that you have to go through to get out," said Danielle Boudreaux, a former friend of the couple who ran the warehouse.
The recovery operation and investigation into how the blaze started had been delayed for hours until workers could enter safely on Saturday evening.
The roof had collapsed into the second floor and in some spots, the second storey had fallen into the first.
Reuters/AP
Topics: fires, disasters-and-accidents, united-states
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