Prosecutors are eyeing possible murder charges in the Oakland warehouse fire that killed at least 36 people on Friday night, officials said.
At an afternoon press conference on Monday, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said her office was working with local law enforcement to determine whether a crime occurred on the night of the blaze.
If so, she said charges could range from involuntary manslaughter to murder.
“It is not clear right now and is too early to speculate,” O’Malley said, adding that investigators were being “methodical” and “thorough” — taking “the time it takes to look at every potential piece of evidence” and leaving “no stone unturned.”
“In our community we have not experienced a tragedy of this magnitude,” she explained.
Officials went on to say that 33 of the 36 confirmed victims have been identified, and that authorities were working to notify their families.
“At this time we’re not anticipating any more huge numbers,” Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern said at the press conference.
Police officials also showed off pictures of the scorched “Ghost Ship” ruins — saying the cause of the fire was still under investigation. They added that they now believe the deadly blaze erupted in the back of the warehouse.
