The death toll at an Oakland, California night party surged from 9 to 33 late Sunday night, as firefighters recovered more bodies from the charred ruins of what once was the “Ghost Ship” warehouse.
A fire broke out during a rave party inside the Ghost Ship in the early hours of the morning on Saturday, while dozens of people were attending a late-night rave dance party.
The three-alarm fire was sparked on the second floor of the warehouse, and that many of the victims had been trapped there, as the fire blocked the stairway. At least one person was seen jumping out of the building from a second-story window.
The building was home to a number of artists and musicians, and included both living spaces and studios, local authorities told KTVU.
Firefighters said that structural damage had impeded rescue operations. While initially just 9 fatalities were confirmed, an additional 25 to 40 other individuals were listed as missing. On Sunday night, an additional 24 bodies were recovered from the ruins of the Ghost Ship.
One resident of the building described the intense heat of the fire, which he said was “peeling” his skin.
“I literally felt my skin peeling and my lungs being suffocated by smoke,” said Bob Mule. “I couldn’t get the fire extinguisher to work.”