The Florida Chapter of the American Fire Sprinkler Association wishes to express our condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in the recent fires in an old California warehouse converted to a club and in the three-family dwelling in Massachusetts. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the first responders and we pray we are successful in our mission to make the public aware that fires such as these can be prevented or contained with the installation of fire sprinklers.
It was known as the Ghost Ship, a large, gray-walled warehouse with a skull and other artwork painted on the outside and chock-full of hand-built spaces tailored for musicians and artisans.
But over the past decade, the 4,000-square-foot structure at 1305 31st Ave. was better known to city zoning and fire officials as a source of complaints about illegal residential uses, all-night dance parties and general blight.
The complaints came to light Saturday as Oakland officials grappled to answer questions about a blaze that took at least 30 lives. The building is zoned as a warehouse, which does not allow for residential uses. Darin Ranelletti, interim director of the city Planning and Building Department, said the warehouse was under investigation to determine whether it was being illegally used for housing.
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