Fiery and Fatal Horror in Oakland

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

The rave turned deadly when a raging blaze surged through the warehouse the event was being held, killing at least 24 people, with police expecting the death toll to rise.  A dozen people remain missing.

How the fire was ignited is currently unknown.  Officials indicate the building was licensed as a warehouse, not a venue for concerts or public gatherings.  The city had also received reports, prior to the fire, of people illegally living in the the warehouse, and of illegal construction being performed inside the facility.  The 4,000 square foot structure, known as the Ghost Ship, while a warehouse, had internally been transformed into a number of spaces, making it a “labyrinth of little areas.”  Because of the maze-like interior, escape during the fire was made even more difficult.

Currently, the site “is not deemed a crime scene,” but police personnel were on hand in case the investigation takes a turn.

City Councilman Noel Gallo, who represents the Fruitvale district and lives a block from where the fire occurred, said the building “has been an issue for a number of years.”

“People have been living inside, and the neighbors have complained about it,” he said. “Some of these young people that were in there were underage. They frequently had parties there.”

Firefighters said some of the victims of the Friday night blaze were apparently trapped when they couldn’t escape down the makeshift staircase. There was no evidence that the building had a sprinkler system and there were only two exits.