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Club fire in California claims dozens of lives
Tragedy struck in the Oakland area of California when rave at a converted warehouse burst into flames with authorities preparing for the death toll to rise to as high as 40 after nine people were confirmed dead.
Social media went aghast when a video of the inferno was posted by the fire department showing massive flames burning through the roof of the venue which was hosting a concert by electronic group Golden Donna, along with six other acts.
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According to Oakland fire chief Teresa Deloche-Reed, between 50 and 100 people were thought to have been inside the venue and the building did not have a sprinkler system and firefighters did not hear any alarms when they arrived.
The warehouse, which houses artists in improvised studios, was packed with furniture, mannequins and other objects, obstructing firefighters’ efforts to put out the blaze, she added.
“It was filled end to end with furniture, whatnot, collections. It was like a maze almost.”
The only exit from the second floor was a staircase made from wooden pallets, Ms Deloche-Reed said.
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