36 people killed in fire at converted warehouse during rave in Oakland, California

The fire tore through the building during an event featuring musician Golden Donna's 100% Silk West Coast tour.

Survivors said they struggled to find working fire extinguishers.

Deloche-Reed says the only way out of the second floor was a makeshift stairwell made of pallets. She says the roof collapsed and there is a lot of debris that will have to be painstakingly removed.

At least nine people died and authorities said they feared the toll could rise as high as 40 in a fire that broke out during a rave at a converted warehouse in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Law enforcement officials said Saturday they did not yet know what caused the fire, but said the building appears to have been an illegal living and work space, and that city inspectors had gone out there on Nov. 17 to launch an investigation after getting calls about safety concerns.  

He says excavators, a crane and dumpster trucks are being brought in to help in the recovery and the building is being flooded with light to allow crews to work through the night.

At a morning news conference, Alameda County Sheriff Sgt. Ray Kelly said the death toll rose from nine last night to 24; he emphasized that the number will probably rise as the search continues.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelly announced the new figure early Sunday. Only about 20 percent of the charred remains of the building have been searched. Oakland Battalion Fire Chief Melinda Drayton says fire crews worked through the night to clear debris from the gutted building.

The search for bodies is expected to continue at least 48 hours.

The building known as the “Ghost Ship” was an artist workspace and illegal home for a rotating cast of a dozen or more residents, those who lived there or visited often said.

The death toll was expected to rise, as crews using buckets and shovels slowly made their way through the building, finding victims where they least expected them, Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said.

In cases like these, it is often the negligence of multiple parties that result in such a tragedy – this could include the building owners, event promoters, the city for failure to take action on a known problem, and more.