Number of Oakland Ghost Ship fire victims remains at 36
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Alameda County officials identified 10 additional Ghost Ship warehouse fire victims and the death toll remains at 36.
Crews say they've searched and cleared 90 percent of the building and don't expect to find many more victims. "We haven't found any recently, hoping that we don't find anymore. What we want to do more than anything is we want to clear the building and say it is clear," Oakland Fire Dept. Batt. Chief Robert Lipp said.
PHOTOS: Some of the victims of the tragic Oakland Ghost Ship fire
Officials say only one of the victims found is unidentified. So far, 26 families have been notified and they have nine tentative identifications.
At the coroner's office, investigators are still working to identify other victims, notify families and determine cause of death. "The autopsies that have been completed, every person died because of smoke inhalation, which is not uncommon for fires because the smoke is so deadly," Alameda County Sheriff's Office Sgt. J.D. Nelson said.
Officials say they are done searching at least 85 percent of the building and said there's nothing in the remaining corner to indicate that anyone would be there. "Primarily that B-C corner, so as you face that building, that left corner of the building, we're not able to totally secure that yet. We're going to be putting in some bracing, exterior bracing today and then that will finalize that corner. Then there's a very small section that's in the back that still needs to be processed with ATF and our crews," Lipp said.
PHOTOS: A look inside the Oakland Ghost Ship collective warehouse
Batt. Chief. Melinda Drayton says the search of the building will be done by the time the rain arrives Thursday, but they don't think the entire scene will be cleared. She got emotional, saying all of the firefighters and rescue crews carry around an emotional backpack with them and something here can trigger a memory from another devastating fire they've been on.
As for the investigation, Alameda County's district attorney said if they pursue charges, they could range from involuntary manslaughter to murder.
As of 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, only 12 customers remained without power in the area due to a planned outage. There was a crane brought into the scene and the power had to be shut off as a precaution in case it hit lines.
Ghost Ship founder Derick Ion Almena was at the scene Tuesday morning and while he didn't answer any questions, he said: "I'd rather get on the floor and be trampled by the parents than answer these ridiculous questions." He told ABC7 News Reporter Lilian Kim Sunday night that the children that died were his friends, his families, his love.
Crews continue to remove debris Tuesday on the property and working to preserve it and treat it as evidence for the criminal investigation.
Click here for all ABC7 News stories, videos, and photos from the Ghost Ship warehouse fire.
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