Officials found no evidence of smoke alarms or sprinklers at the im raj mathai, welcome to nbc bay area news. Weve been on the scene all day. The fire began last night, at 11 30 in the evening. The work begins tonight, fire crews have stabilized the building enough to access the building. A lot of heavy machine has cleared away the debris and now the search is on for possibly 25 bodies inside. Within the last 30 minutes we just got an update from Sergeant Ray Kelly from the alameda sheriffs department. He confirmed to us that nine bodies have been recovered. Many families have been reunited with their loved ones, thats the upside. But many families still have no idea, waiting for word. Its not just a local story. Weve been talking about at length throughout this day, around the bay area, around the state, around the world, this was an artists colony and a music party. A lot of deejays and live music here performing last night. Everyone showed up around 9 or 10 00 p. M. Last night. The
The city in shock after a party at a warehouse turned deadly with potentially dozens of people killed. Its an active situation at this hour. Raj that high mathai is live at. Investigators will be out there for days. Reporter they will be theyre out there now, through the night. They will be. Its a sensetive story. Not only such a tragedy but sensitive because two things are happening here. Recovering bodies, there could be up to 25 bodies in that warehouse. Theres also an investigation here of how something so terribly could go wrong. We have a team of reporters here on the scene in oakland. We have reporters back in the studio. And our Investigative Unit is missing on several angles of this story. But lets get started on whats happening here on 31st avenue. A lots happening here. Its been almost 24 hours exactly since this fire. This was a community here. There are houses and other warehouses here with families, flowers, candles. Theres also heavy machinery digging through the debris
We can report thats according to the almeiameda county sherif office, the body count is at ten and it could rise. Inside of that warehouse what were learning, we know its a 24hour artist collective. Theyre saying theres art studios inside of that warehouse. We know friday it was the site of the party. I want to show you some new video we got from an instagram user. This is was from just about an hour before hand. A lot of people are referring to this as the ghost ship. I want to point out this building was not permitted to hold people, just permitted to be a warehouse. Thats one of the many things that are still under investigation. You can see in this clip of the clutter inside of the room where that party took place. It is very cluttered because theyre saying this was this labyrinth of art studios. Fire officials also pointed out that the stairwell inside to get from the first floor to the second floor was a makeshift one, essentially made up of panels. I want to show you some video
They use the front door. If they want to use the backdoor, and they want to go out of the backdoor, the back gate, they can easily access going out. If they wanted to transport furniture or something, they could open the gate from the inside. They have been offered keys. I know that most of the residents in 642 jones have keys to the gate. I have issued keys to the backdoor for every person that has a key to the gate. I am asking if i could speak for the seven minute because im also representing hawthorne stone and also representing the building and also a resident of the building. Over the last few hearings, the gate has been required to be opened at 6 30 in the morning or 7 30 in the morning and closed at 6 30 at night. This hasnt stopped the activity during the day. Its still going on. I dont want to gross you out what actually has to be cleaned out back there, but its still going on. I dont understand why the gate has to be opened, if keys are issued. We dont keep our front gate op
Me that we have a light well with egress windows thank you for raising that. President hwang and commissioners in the past when there is a life safety issue dbi has been allowed to authorize work to take place to resolve the life safety issue. Yes. So i think that authority already exists with dbi, if there is a concern about egress, they would have the authority to have that addressed even though the permit is suspended. Okay. I am the project sponsor. As you noticed they jumped to the conclusion before you gave the vote. This is the mentality to rush of the tenant, to rush whoever is front of them. Supervisor wiener asked can you help and i said sure. If you look at the screen over here, it shows the blower on top of the roof. That is a humungous blower, the blower were using is a mushroom type. Its only 100pounds, sitting on the metal going across the width of the building. So there would be no vibration. What are you showing us a picture of . The blower. Some other blower. Okay. We