San Mateo Injury Lawyers Blog
A tragic fire at an Oakland warehouse on December 3, 2016 has killed more than 30 people that were attending a concert. The Oakland Fire Department continues to recover bodies and it is feared that the number of deaths could increase to as many as 40 to 50.
The property where the fire occurred was a warehouse, known as Oakland Ghost Ship, that neighbors claim had been converted to a place where artists lived and worked. However, the City had not permitted the building for residential use or for use as a concert venue. The concert, Golden Dorma 100% silk 2016 West Coast Tour, was advertised online, including a concert Facebook page. A local resident stated that the warehouse is known by locals as the site for rave-style concerts. Shockingly, it has been reported that sprinklers or fire alarms had not been installed in the building. A spokesperson for the building owner claims that the owner did not know that people were living at the building or that it was being used for concerts and parties.
Some local residents have described the building as a tinderbox where tragedy was waiting to happen. Former residents of the building reported that they saw artists using butane torches, water being heated with propane, and sparking electrical wires. The building was divided into a number of different sections that had been decorated with curtains and other fabrics. The interior and exterior of the building was littered with debris that has been described as kindling. The interior stairs consisted of wooden pallets that made it difficult to escape the inferno. Most people died on the second floor where the concert took place. It is inexcusable that the City of Oakland and the property owner allowed such a deathtrap to exist.