CA - Massive fire at Oakland warehouse party, 36 dead, 2 Dec 2016 #1

[BetteDavisEyes]

Dec 5 2016, 9:10 am ET

Oakland Warehouse Fire: Victims' Families Face Agonizing Wait

by Alastair Jamieson and Elizabeth Chuck

Anguished families gathered for a third day Monday to await word of their loved ones after the death toll from the massive warehouse party fire in Oakland, California, climbed to 33, including a 17-year-old.

Officials have positively identified eight victims from Friday night's devastating blaze. But relatives are being asked to provide a DNA sample to confirm the identity of many of the others.

"There's a multi-pronged approach to verify their identification, including ... the DNA and the fingerprinting, because a lot of these young members of our community had ID on them, but we're not able to use that as the pure justification and assume that what we find is reality," Oakland Fire Battalion Chief Melinda Drayton told TODAY Monday morning...

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...-victims-families-face-agonizing-wait-n691911

 

[CARIIS]

(90%)Forecast for Thurs rainfall half an inch - for some reason in this context I have no idea what that implies --calling Foxfire!

90%

SSE 11 mph

76%

1 of 10

 

[Inthedetails]

((Websleuths))

We might be an online community, but we are indeed a community.

Boy, it hurts when a case on WS involves our own.

And, thank you to everyone posting. I find this case too tear-inducing - knowing it affects two of our own - to do sleuthing myself, but I am reading what you post.

 

[Foxfire]

Is the location of the origin near the secret area where they were sneaking into the auto place.

Charming group huh

It remains both confusing and frustrating that we have not heard from people who got out some rough estimate of how many people were inside when it started.

It just seems IMO a question that would be asked (and has never been as far as I know) of anyone who was inside and got out.

In that type of setting it would be something "absorbed" by folks inside wow its busy, or surprised how slow it is etc.

Those estimates would be helpful, IMO to loved ones. A performer would "know" how the house was

It is peculiar and quite an important notion as this languishes
IMO it takes on more importance now that there is a stop in place

It is like torture for these folks. I know they are doing the best they can, but as far as media goes I cannot fathom why the question has not been asked..

At one of yesterday's pressers, the Deputy Fire Chief was asked what the rave's total attendance was and how many are still unaccounted for. His response was, "many"..

Originally posted by CARIIS
(90%)Forecast for Thurs rainfall half an inch - for some reason in this context I have no idea what that implies --calling Foxfire!

The weather forcasted will not affect the fire department's recovery effort, CARIIS .

 

[passionflower]

After seeing the photos, it seems spooky.
My allergies would go wild with all the fabrics, antiques And wood with dust.
I doubt if it was cleaned often. Air circulation? Oh my.....

 

[Spellbound]

Survivors and witnesses tell of their ability to escape:

This attachment (in a yellow box at "sifst" link below this) is a horrifying tale of how this one young man escaped). http://sfist.com/attachments/SFist_Jay/reddit-fire.jpg

http://sfist.com/2016/12/04/first-person-accounts-oakland-warehouse-fire.php
it was pitch black inside the warehouse space, where only a few moments earlier a group of 40 to 50 people were listening to a DJ play music and waiting for the show to start. [sounds like almost ALL who were inside in the second floor may have died]

Immediately, people were screaming and trying to direct others to safety. With no lights, and smoke filling the warehouse, it made it difficult for people to find their footing on the somewhat irregularly shaped staircase, which Chris said appeared to have been built in three sections.


http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Survivors-of-deadly-Oakland-fire-say-they-are-10689539.php
The worst spot to be was on the second floor of the Ghost Ship warehouse-turned-artists-enclave at 1305 31st Ave. — that’s where many people were when the flames erupted. The single-file staircase to get downstairs, survivors said, was a steep ramp with pegs sticking out as makeshift footholds that turned 90 degrees into a series of rickety wooden stairs.


“The building itself was an art piece. The walls were completely covered with makeshift pieces of wood, so finding the staircase if you’d never been there before was difficult because they had built it into the wall in a certain way,” said Laura Hobbs, 24, who went to the party with five friends.

 

[CARIIS]

It is beyond speculation that people were living in there againist zoning laws. I want to know what the consequences of that are.

This mornings encounter with confirmed my concerns that they have resources. He appears to be a malignant narcissist so much so that it would not be surprising if the two of them took off and left their kids.

I wonder if its an arrestable offense in and of itself?

Something to prevent fleeing the country.

 

[Jax49]

It is beyond speculation that people were living in there againist zoning laws. I want to know what the consequences of that are.

This mornings encounter with confirmed my concerns that they have resources. He appears to be a malignant narcissist so much so that it would not be surprising if the two of them took off and left their kids.

I wonder if its an arrestable offense in and of itself?

Something to prevent fleeing the country.

Thanks for finding that. I'm very angry at him but I really question if the media should have outed his location. He needs to be held accountable legally.

Does anyone know where the kids are? Did the state take custody?

 

[CARIIS]

A previous landlord, who owns a different Fruitvale warehouse where Almena leased space, filed an eviction lawsuit against him in 2014.


[FONT=&amp]history of run-ins with the law.


[/FONT][FONT=&amp]court records indicate that he has been embroiled in legal disputes in recent years with friends, including two attempted restraining orders against him last year.

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]District Attorney's office allowed Almena to reach a deal, which had him serve only two days in county jail. His probation term runs until January 2019.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]Just months before being charged for possession of stolen property, Almena was hit with an eviction lawsuit seeking that he and a co-tenant vacate property located at 4701 San Leandro Street in Oakland.

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Almena was also sued by former friends who for alleged "harassment." According to court records, in January 2015 two different individuals, Philippe Lewis and Matthew Elvey, sought temporary restraining orders against Almena alleging that he was harassing them. Lewis declined to speak to the [/FONT]Express regarding the harassment.

Almena filed for a restraining order against a person named Shelly Porter in February 2015.

Scroll down

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/Seven...ouse-fire-with-wife-children-was-on-probation

here is that area

https://www.google.com/maps/place/4...6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x966cf696c029b9c3!6m1!1e1

A representative from Oakland's Highland Hospital reported receiving two patients, one of whom was discharged by December 4.[SUP][2]

and these folks I would assume knew about the exit off the stage that

other did not

Electro-industrial performer Joey Casio, who was scheduled to perform at the concert under the name Obsidian Blade, was confirmed to have died.[SUP][20][/SUP][SUP][21][/SUP] Two other musicians on the bill—outsider house artist Cherushii (Chelsea Faith) and disc jockey Nackt (Johnny Igaz)—were listed as missing.[SUP][20][/SUP][SUP][22][/SUP] Another musician, Cash Askew, the guitarist for the San Francisco dream pop band Them Are Us Too, was confirmed to have died in the fire.[SUP][21]

• 
  [*=center]Oakland, CA
  [*=center]Willits, CA
  [*=center]Emeryville, CA
  [*=center]Azusa, CA
  [*=center]North Hollywood, CA

https://www.truthfinder.com/report-...57-843f-9264f5117b69&index=1&bestResult=false

Fire Station 13, which is a block away from the blaze

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Oakland_warehouse_fire[/SUP][/SUP]

 

[Cryptic]

Those pictures depict a fire trap.

Knowing that the Bay area can get cold, the first thing I thought of when I saw the warren of residency rooms was space heaters on "octopus" outlets using extension cords.

Then factor in the strong possibility of one of the more eclectic residents using a charcoal brazier as either a heater as a means to recreate his / her version of a sacred fire of some sort.

Then again, it is probably going to be impossible to tell what started the fire. My guess is that other cities have similar converted buildings being used as residences / party venues / hang out spots. Hopefully, they will start inspections immediately.

 

[trigger]

Thanks for finding that. I'm very angry at him but I really question if the media should have outed his location. He needs to be held accountable legally.

Does anyone know where the kids are? Did the state take custody?

Cariis posted earlier

The couple's three children were seen being loaded into a car outside the hotel and were driven off by a woman wearing some form of ID badge.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz4RwFV9ReH
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[Foxfire]

Survivors and witnesses tell of their ability to escape:

This attachment (in a yellow box at "sifst" link below this) is a horrifying tale of how this one young man escaped). http://sfist.com/attachments/SFist_Jay/reddit-fire.jpg

http://sfist.com/2016/12/04/first-person-accounts-oakland-warehouse-fire.php
it was pitch black inside the warehouse space, where only a few moments earlier a group of 40 to 50 people were listening to a DJ play music and waiting for the show to start. [sounds like almost ALL who were inside in the second floor may have died]

Immediately, people were screaming and trying to direct others to safety. With no lights, and smoke filling the warehouse, it made it difficult for people to find their footing on the somewhat irregularly shaped staircase, which Chris said appeared to have been built in three sections.


http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Survivors-of-deadly-Oakland-fire-say-they-are-10689539.php
The worst spot to be was on the second floor of the Ghost Ship warehouse-turned-artists-enclave at 1305 31st Ave. — that’s where many people were when the flames erupted. The single-file staircase to get downstairs, survivors said, was a steep ramp with pegs sticking out as makeshift footholds that turned 90 degrees into a series of rickety wooden stairs.


“The building itself was an art piece. The walls were completely covered with makeshift pieces of wood, so finding the staircase if you’d never been there before was difficult because they had built it into the wall in a certain way,” said Laura Hobbs, 24, who went to the party with five friends.

The Thank You Spellbound Button For This Useful Post was just not enough. The testimony of this more fortunate victim of the Ghost Ship Inferno/Conflagration puts perspective to this tragedy...
The failure of a column may cause part or all of the building to suddenly collapse. ... In a fire situation, the unprotected steel beams at the ceiling or roof level of a structure can heat up to 1200 to 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the steel begins to expand and twist causing floor or roof collapse.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

When is next press briefing?

 

[Jax49]

When is next press briefing?

Not announced yet. At the end of the last they were asked and said they didn't know.

 

[Zuri]

Thoughts and prayers with Gitana and her family. Please know we are thinking of you and yours and we are here for whatever you need. Xo

 

[MzOpinion8d]

It's not my intention to start a discussion about what I am about to post because that wouldn't be appropriate, and it might not even be appropriate for me to post the following, in the first place, but I know there are members here who are truly anguished contemplating this tragedy.

This is what helps me. My mind (and I'm probably not alone) naturally goes to what the deceased might or must have experienced before they left this world under circumstances such as these, and it is too much to contemplate. Just plain too much.

This is what I have to think in order to get by: if angels really exist (who knows, but it would be cool if they did---and references to them are all around in popular culture and merchandise, not to mention in ancient culture), they are NOT going to sit idly by and just watch this stuff happen. They are going to usher the souls of the departing ones out and spare their consciousness most of the horrors. That would be the definition of mercy. If there was ever a time for mercy, this would be it.

We all believe/don't different things, but if you can find something that works for you like my angels-to-the-rescue works for me, pull it out and plug it in--because the unfathomable is all around us and it leaves us wondering what in the world to think.

If this helps anybody, it will be worth me getting up the guts to write it. :/

I believed in your theory. I often think...hope...that angels surround children who are abusedand killed and protect their precious little souls.

There's a country song with this premise, but I don't remember the name. The song is about a man adopting a little girl, taking her to church, her seeing a painting of Jesus, and she says "I know him, I don't know his name, but he was there behind the couch with me the night my mama died..." Anyone know the song I am talking about?

 

[Mollyandme]

I believed in your theory. I often think...hope...that angels surround children who are abusedand killed and protect their precious little souls.

There's a country song with this premise, but I don't remember the name. The song is about a man adopting a little girl, taking her to church, her seeing a painting of Jesus, and she says "I know him, I don't know his name, but he was there behind the couch with me the night my mama died..." Anyone know the song I am talking about?

"The little girl" by John Michael Montgomery...makes me cry everytime

 

[Lilibet]

My heart is with Gitana and her family and blue and hers. :heartbeat: And it's breaking. Sending huge hugs your way.

 

[Spellbound]

I believed in your theory. I often think...hope...that angels surround children who are abusedand killed and protect their precious little souls.

There's a country song with this premise, but I don't remember the name. The song is about a man adopting a little girl, taking her to church, her seeing a painting of Jesus, and she says "I know him, I don't know his name, but he was there behind the couch with me the night my mama died..." Anyone know the song I am talking about?

It is called "The Little Girl" by John Michael Montgomery.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbmbr7ZCDrE

 

[JDauxa]

Thinking about you and your family Gitana. Love from AZ


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