Oakland Fire Chief Declares State Of Emergency In Response To Ghost Ship Fire
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- The Oakland fire chief declared a local state of emergency Tuesday in response to a warehouse fire that killed dozens of people Friday.
Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach-Reed said the city plans to vote on ratifying the declaration Thursday.
36 people died in the fire that tore through the Ghost Ship warehouse in the city's Fruitvale District Friday night.
• Continuing Coverage: Deadly Oakland Warehouse Fire
Rep. Barbara Lee also spoke, praising first responders for their tireless efforts during the recovery operation.
Lee offered her condolences to the family and the community for their losses.
"We continue to grieve with you," said Lee. "I want to say to the family members and friends and loved ones we will continue to do everything we can do to care and comfort you during this very difficult time."
She also said she had been in regular contact with President Obama regarding the disastrous fire and read from his statement praising Oakland for its diversity and resiliency.
Alameda County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. J.D. Nelson confirmed that 35 of 36 victims have been identified and that the families of 30 of those victims had been notified. Sheriff's officials said they don't think additional bodies will be found.
Mayor Libby Schaaf also spoke during the press briefing, noting in connection with the investigation into the Ghost Ship fire that the city would be releasing 30 years of public records on the property and the lot next door to the Ghost Ship warehouse.
Schaaf said there were three prior complaints about the address where the Ghost Ship warehouse was located: two filed in 2014 and a third in 2005.
She also said the recovery operation was nearly complete and that officials would likely not be holding further press briefings at the site of the fire.
Earlier Tuesday, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced it is looking at the possibility that a refrigerator or other appliance was the source of the fatal warehouse fire.
Jill Snyder, the special agent in charge of the ATF's San Francisco office, said it's too early to say for sure a refrigerator caused the blaze, but she said it was a potential source of ignition. Snyder said investigators are looking at anything electrical on the first floor of the warehouse near where the fire started.
