CA - Massive fire at Oakland warehouse party, 36 dead, 2 Dec 2016 #2

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Thank you very much Spellbound. As I mentioned, the conversation about Station Club fire was indeed very enlightening and I was very well-prepared as a result of those discussions. I wish faith did not have to hold me up to my word that fast (" perhaps some day saves some of us or our loved ones"), but oh well...

FYI, the fire started couple of floors above on the penthouse. Electrical in nature, my neighbour said he was using his coffee maker. Sprinklers came on, but fire already shot to the ceiling so they were of no use. He feels devastated that he caused all this to everyone. Conscience can be a ***** for those of us who has it. I tried to console him saying "**** happens, not your fault, could have been anyone of us".

First few hours there was nothing anywhere except the top of the building. So I have no idea how the smoke filled the exit staircases so fast. I also do not know how situation could have been smoke-wise if the fire was below -- not above.

Yes, I had to carry fatboy. I did not know how he would behave with all the alarms and confusion going on, and I did not intend to find that out.

O/T

30 Years ago, doing french fries, I realized my baby had gotten out and that took over everything.

Upon re-entering ( no sprinklers) I come back in two cabinets are ablaze. Very scary. I did not know you do not throw water on a grease fire.

Well I did. Bad move. It went out but not before a wild explosion. Melted the floor vinyl!

Could not cope. Went to bed. Open eyes next morning,

The bedroom ceiling was black. Very close friends with the property managers.

Could not "tell" yet. Several days later we were all out partying! Near last call. Vicki Sue Robinsons "Turn the Beat Around" came on !

Stacey decided to go be crazy on the dance floor. This was my moment to tell Gail that the unit is going to need some "work"!

I had renters insurance. It was 7000 bucks - all the popcorn on the ceiling had to be removed and resprayed.

The cabinets needed to be replaced! It was mortifying

Could not do french fries for three decades. But I love FF. So my solution is I take out (live and learn!) the huge box of baking soda (!) when I do them.

Fire is very noisy and "mean"

Frankly , I have only done FF three times since.

The baking soda does not really provide relief. Smart maybe, but the degree of anxiety really makes a drive thro Burger King more frequent!!.
 

I was just coming to post the same. There are also additional funds for both victims and survivors and in some cases multiple funds. 26k in a general fund for GS residents and many times over that for individuals. So the good news is that all the people impacted by the fire will be compensated.

Also, there are tons of support groups popping up offering help all across the board - money donations, fundraiser concerts, clothing donations, food, offers for temporary shelter - it just goes on and on. Go to FB and search Ghostship Support. Another area bursting with volunteers have to do with helping artists in DIY warehouses who need to keep their home. Coalitions gathering professional contract workers, financial experts, legal advisors are hoping to get some of these places upgraded and habitable legally.

It really is a wonder to watch. The only mar on these efforts are the responses from some (a minority) who are angry that anyone thinks they need help at all and prefer to be left alone and underground, safe building or not. They see themselves as the ultimate righteous artists and consider those who don't feel the same to be sell-outs. They even scoff at some permitted venues as being too mainstream and products of "the man."

Okay... And frankly, I've come across a few who at the same time are asking for funds - IOW they want the benefit of the caring public but at the same time they rage against society. Search the Burnt Ramen in Richmond - they want to stick it to "the man" but they also want $$. :facepalm:

Luckily though, the majority of artists are raring to go in creating a new era of safe collectives and are grateful for the outpouring of offers to help.

Will Derick and Micah qualify?

Probably. I'm sure they were first in line to sign up for emergency funds. A-holes.
 
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/oakland-approves-preliminary-1-25-162227563.html

A plan to build a $1.25 billion stadium to keep the Oakland Raiders from moving to Las Vegas has received preliminary approval by city council and the Alameda County board of supervisors.

.....
The city would invest $350 million in public money for the new football stadium on the site of the Oakland Coliseum, the 50-year-old facility that is the only stadium to still be shared by professional football and baseball teams. The site is big enough for a new baseball stadium for the Oakland A's.

I can't help shake my head at the hypocrisy of this latest move by the city and county. If I was a taxpayer in that area I would be fuming.

And I grew up a Raiders fan.
 
Will Derick and Micah qualify?

I was going to say "over my dead body" will they qualify for any funds. I will amend that to say "over 36 dead bodies". They deserve nothing, nada, zilch. But it won't surprise me if they apply. I know there will be safeguards in the administration of the funds, so hopefully, they will be turned down immediately.
 
Speak of the devil and devil appears! This conversation was 6 days ago. My building got torched down the night before:

[video=youtube;r3aEeKooznU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3aEeKooznU[/video]


I did not want to hijack this thread, but I said this:



So this incident and the realization that came with watching Station Club Fire indeed helped.

I was very calm but fast. After fire alarm, it took me less than 60 seconds to do all these:

  • Get to the balcony and look down, then up to see where the smoke is
  • Grab the dog and laptop
  • Power off mains circuit
  • Knock down on my neighbor's door
  • Run down the stairs (many floors)

I was one of the first people who vacated the building despite being close to top. 4 floors are gutted completely. Fire lasted 7 hours (active part about 4). Nobody is hurt. We haven't been to the apartment to assess the situation, but no worries, nothing I can't replace.

PS: Despite being among the first to exit, staircase was already filled with some smoke when I was going down. Those fumes caused angioedema on one of my eyes for a day. I am allergic to chemicals and toxic smells. Anti-histamines fixed it.

So happy you and your dog are okay. Scarey video. Peace to you.
 
I did not know you do not throw water on a grease fire.

I did know that but what I did not know was the "Fire Blanket" in our kitchen is to be used for putting out oil. I thought I had to get to balcony and cover myself with it if I am not able to escape! Thanks to this topic, I learnt what a fool I was!
 
I was just coming to post the same. There are also additional funds for both victims and survivors and in some cases multiple funds. 26k in a general fund for GS residents and many times over that for individuals. So the good news is that all the people impacted by the fire will be compensated.

Also, there are tons of support groups popping up offering help all across the board - money donations, fundraiser concerts, clothing donations, food, offers for temporary shelter - it just goes on and on. Go to FB and search Ghostship Support. Another area bursting with volunteers have to do with helping artists in DIY warehouses who need to keep their home. Coalitions gathering professional contract workers, financial experts, legal advisors are hoping to get some of these places upgraded and habitable legally.

It really is a wonder to watch. The only mar on these efforts are the responses from some (a minority) who are angry that anyone thinks they need help at all and prefer to be left alone and underground, safe building or not. They see themselves as the ultimate righteous artists and consider those who don't feel the same to be sell-outs. They even scoff at some permitted venues as being too mainstream and products of "the man."

Okay... And frankly, I've come across a few who at the same time are asking for funds - IOW they want the benefit of the caring public but at the same time they rage against society. Search the Burnt Ramen in Richmond - they want to stick it to "the man" but they also want $$. :facepalm:

Luckily though, the majority of artists are raring to go in creating a new era of safe collectives and are grateful for the outpouring of offers to help.



Probably. I'm sure they were first in line to sign up for emergency funds. A-holes.

The thing that gets me very very upset is that these people who want to be so alternative and live in unsafe buildings will have firefighters risking their lives if there is an issue. Firefighters don' t get to say that they are not going to participate. I just want to say, "How dare they! How dare they put others at risk."
 
There's plenty of blame to go around for sure...

But I know that when I invite guests to my "home", I feel I have the greater obligation to take measures to ensure they leave my home alive and well. Doesn't matter what my landlord knew, or city officials knew...

Respectfully disagree. I do not need to know if the owner of a place I am in is not high up on drugs or not an idiot. I'd expect city officials enforce the law and protect the patrons.

Law is there to protect us from evil/stupid, and to protect stupid from themselves. Safety regulations affecting our lives should have been enforced everywhere by the officials regardless of what kind of person is owning / operating it.
 
Part 5

The Oakland Fire: Tenants Living in Warehouses Face Eviction


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/14/u...-living-in-warehouses-face-eviction.html?_r=0

A few days after the Ghost Ship fire, Angela Scrivani, a photographer and curator who lives in a West Oakland warehouse, got some news from the building’s landlord.

“He came in and said anybody living here he wants to move out by January 3rd,” she said in an interview on Tuesday night.

Ms. Scrivani is one of a number of people living in warehouses illegally here who are facing eviction after the tragedy.

Looking to prevent evictions from spreading more widely, members of the Oakland City Council have started working with the city attorney to write legislation that would allow tenants of these spaces to stay in place, as well as allow city inspectors to investigate buildings for life-threatening risks without imposing the full extent of the building code.
 
I did know that but what I did not know was the "Fire Blanket" in our kitchen is to be used for putting out oil. I thought I had to get to balcony and cover myself with it if I am not able to escape! Thanks to this topic, I learnt what a fool I was!

no worries I felt like an idiot when it seemed that everyone but me knew not to use water on a grease fire !!
 
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