![](https://oaknorth.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Oakland_Fire_khaled_sayed-10-1024x683.jpg)
Oakland Ghost Ship fire claims at least 9 lives, with more feared missing
on December 3, 2016
A fire that broke out during an electronic music party at an artists’ warehouse space in the Fruitvale late Friday night has claimed at least 9 lives, and an estimated 25 more people are feared missing.
A joint statement by the Oakland Police Department and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office released mid-day on Saturday tallied 9 known fatalities, although the death toll is expected to rise once law enforcement officials are able to more closely search the building.
Friends and family initially widely shared a Google Document listing the names and physicals details of those considered missing, asking for people to confirm their whereabouts and provide contact information for family members. The document is now no longer publicly viewable, but as of Saturday afternoon, a handful of the people on the list had been reported safe, some of them in the hospital. Facebook also activated its “safety check” feature for Oakland, asking nearby residents to confirm whether they were safe.
The warehouse space, located near the intersection of 31st Avenue and International Boulevard, was known as the Oakland Ghost Ship; it has previously hosted electronic music events and was the home of the Satya Yuga artists’ collective.
The San Francisco Chronicle has reported that the city was investigating the building for alleged construction permit and blight violations. Partygoer Michael Rosen, who left before the fire broke out, described its interior for the Daily Beast , writing that the second story, where most of the attendees were believed to have died, was accessible only by a “makeshift staircase” that resembled a wooden plank with notches for footholds.
By early Saturday evening, the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, a San Francisco-based group that hosts exhibitions, concerts and electronics classes, had raised more than $74,000 for a relief fund for victims of the fire.
Both the Oakland A’s and Raiders promised matching funds of up to $30,000 for a separate campaign; as of early Saturday evening, the fund had reached that goal.
In the joint statement, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf wrote: ““Last night’s fire was an immense tragedy. I am grateful to our first responders for their efforts to deal with this deadly fire. Our focus right now is on the victims and their families and ensuring that we have a full accounting for everyone who was impacted by this tragedy.”
“We are fully committed to sharing as much information as we can as quickly as possible. The most critical information to share at this time is the phone number where victims’ families can get information which is (510) 382-3000 at the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau.”
As of 8:30 pm, no law enforcement agencies had released updated tallies for the number of people missing or injured, nor had they released the names of victims. Law enforcement officials have told the media that the death toll may reach 40.
Previously, the most deadly fire in Oakland history was the Oakland Hills fire, which claimed 25 lives and injured 150 people on October 20, 1991.
Story by Oakland North Staff. All photos by Khaled Sayed.
Update: On Sunday morning, CNN was reporting that the death toll had increased to 24 people. Oakland North will continue to follow this story.
- The exterior of the Oakland Ghost Ship building, which burned late on the night of December 3, 2016. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- An Oakland police officer setting a barricade around the damaged property. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- A member of the fire department of Oakland speaks to the media. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland addresses the media about the warehouse fire on 31st Avenue, Oakland. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- Firefighters outside the Oakland Ghost Ship warehouse on 31st Avenue, Oakland. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- Firefighter outside the warehouse that was damaged by fire on 31st Avenue, Oakland. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- Cleaning crew about to enter the warehouse. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- Firefighter outside the warehouse that was damaged by fire on 31st Avenue, Oakland. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- Firefighters outside the warehouse that was damaged by fire on 31st Avenue, Oakland. Photo by Khaled Sayed
- Oakland firefighters, police officers and members of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office were on the scene outside the warehouse fire in the Fruitvale district. Photo by Khaled Sayed
1 Comments
Oakland North welcomes comments from our readers, but we ask users to keep all discussion civil and on-topic. Comments post automatically without review from our staff, but we reserve the right to delete material that is libelous, a personal attack, or spam. We request that commenters consistently use the same login name. Comments from the same user posted under multiple aliases may be deleted. Oakland North assumes no liability for comments posted to the site and no endorsement is implied; commenters are solely responsible for their own content.
![Photo by Basil D Soufi](https://oaknorth.wpenginepowered.com/assets/img/oakland-skyline.jpeg)
![logo](https://oaknorth.wpenginepowered.com/assets/img/icon-tree.png)
Oakland North
Oakland North is an online news service produced by students at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and covering Oakland, California. Our goals are to improve local coverage, innovate with digital media, and listen to you–about the issues that concern you and the reporting you’d like to see in your community. Please send news tips to: oaklandnorthstaff@gmail.com.
[…] Oakland North will continue to update this story as we receive new information. You can read our previous coverage here and here. […]