Death toll in Oakland loft fire rises to 33

Firefighters in Oakland, east of San Francisco, found the remains of nearly three dozen victims as they sifted through the debris-filled shell of the two-story converted warehouse being used by an artists’ collective.

The cause of the fire was still undetermined, officials said. Arson is not suspected but investigators want to find out if the building, which was often used for musical performances, had a history of code violations. Mayor Libby Schaaf said the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office activated its criminal investigation team at the fire scene. 

A representative of the prosecutor’s office is monitoring the recovery process, she said, adding she was not authorized to say if a criminal probe was under way. The mayor said the city’s first priority was finding the victims and supporting the families. “We have delivered the unacceptable and horrific news of losing a loved one to seven of our families.” The blaze, which erupted about 11:30 pm on Friday, already ranks as the deadliest in the United States since 100 people perished in a 2003 Rhode Island nightclub fire.