Oakland fire kills at least 24 at warehouse party

Alameda County Sheriff Sgt. Ray Kelly said authorities have found 24 victims from the fire at an Oakland warehouse.

Authorities say 20 per cent of the building has been searched in the past 12 hours. Kelly said names could be released in the next 24 hours.

Rescue crews are still searching for victims in the wreckage of a converted two-story warehouse gutted by a deadly blaze during an electronic dance party.

At least nine people are confirmed dead in the blaze that broke out late Friday, and officials say they fear the toll could rise to 40. Because of the complexity of the rescue operation, fire officials say cadaver dogs may have to be used.

Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed said emergency responders found most victims on the second floor — where the party was being held — because the single stairway had become inaccessible.

Even after firefighters put out the massive blaze, the building was deemed too unsafe for emergency responders to enter. Officials say the roof collapsed onto the second floor and then parts of that collapsed on to the first floor.

“There’s limited access to the structure,” Reed told CNN affiliate KRON-TV in San Francisco “It’s too unsafe. And not only that, there’s a lot of heavy wood from when the roof caved in that’s going to have to be removed.”

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf called the fire an “immense tragedy” and pledged to get a “full accounting” that could be shared with the public as quickly as possible.

Freelance journalist Sam Lefebvre said many people were just arriving at the warehouse when the fire started since the dance party was supposed to go very late. The warehouse is a “sort of live/work art space with a lot of old decorations and furniture,” Lefebvre told CNN. An electronic music DJ known as Golden Donna was scheduled to perform.