# The Ghostship in Oakland, California **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 3, 2016, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782 "2016-12-03T22:53:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/1 "2016-12-03T22:53:20Z")
I’m surprised I couldn’t find a thread about this. Last night, a warehouse that hosted an artists’ collective caught fire; 9 are confirmed dead and about 25 are missing, but some reports are saying the death toll may be as high as 100. :eek: The building did not meet even the most rudimentary of building codes, and did not have sprinklers or smoke detectors either. Here’s a spreadsheet giving updates on missing people, some of whom have been found alive in the meantime. [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1D0YJ31ZnFUdwqSt4ecd-IndBWOCnWoKLCnE\_7wSE-Vc/htmlview?usp=sharing&sle=true](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1D0YJ31ZnFUdwqSt4ecd-IndBWOCnWoKLCnE_7wSE-Vc/htmlview?usp=sharing&sle=true) I have not heard anything about who owns it. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/2 "2016-12-03T23:02:07Z")
I just saw this story whilst waiting for food at Mickey Dick’s. The numbers I saw said as many as 40 dead, so they’ve made progress in accounting for people. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/3 "2016-12-03T23:04:39Z")
“Ghostship”? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/4 "2016-12-03T23:18:05Z")
I just read about it. It sounds so awful. So many young victims. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/5 "2016-12-03T23:29:56Z")
To be clear the people who died were not dead because they were members of an artists collective, but because they were there for a rave. Ghostship: see: > **[Halloween Haunted Houses Near Oakland, CA](https://www.haunts.com/california/oakland)** In other words not a place anyone in their right mind would hold a rave. Apparently several people died in the second story–and the stairway was some stacked wood pallets. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/6 "2016-12-04T00:02:42Z")
Here’s a recent post from Ghost Ship owner Derick Ion’s Facebook account: [https://www.facebook.com/derick.ion.9](https://www.facebook.com/derick.ion.9) > [@](#): > > Confirmed. Everything I worked so hard for is gone. Blessed that my children and Micah were at a hotel safe and sound… it’s as if I have awoken from a dream filled with opulence and hope… to be standing now in poverty of self worth. No apologies, just self-pity. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/7 "2016-12-04T00:11:45Z")
He’s fucked. What a tragedy… ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/8 "2016-12-04T00:13:18Z")
Here’s a first hand account: > **[r/news - Nine people have been confirmed dead with 25 still unaccounted for...](https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/5ga0nl/nine_people_have_been_confirmed_dead_with_25/daqxs0k/)** > > 26,909 votes and 4,633 comments so far on Reddit ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/9 "2016-12-04T00:15:56Z")
I’ll be watching the local news in about 45 minutes. I’m sure this will dominate. The city might be just as much to blame as the owner and/or the folks organizing the rave. The place sounds like a death trap. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/10 "2016-12-04T00:30:49Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Here’s a first hand account: > [Reddit - Dive into anything](https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/5ga0nl/nine_people_have_been_confirmed_dead_with_25/daqxs0k/) > [@](#): > > So I had only been down on the floor for 15ish seconds. (Even though it genuinely felt like I was down there for eternity.) As I was down there blindly trying to find the door to get out I got really lucky. **Some dude who had already gotten out stood right by the exit with all the billowing smoke and was repeatedly yelling “this is the exit” “exit.”** I can say without a doubt that that dude saved my life. If he wasn’t there yelling I would have never found the exit and I probably would have died. WOW. I wonder how many owe their lives to him. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/11 "2016-12-04T00:43:23Z")
Forget the news. All local program has been suspended and the newscasters have taken over. So many questions still open! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/12 "2016-12-04T00:59:51Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > Here’s a recent post from Ghost Ship owner Derick Ion’s Facebook account: > > [https://www.facebook.com/derick.ion.9](https://www.facebook.com/derick.ion.9) > No apologies, just self-pity. Jesus. The self-absorption is chilling. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/13 "2016-12-04T01:58:27Z")
Is this related to the Halloween Ghostship held on Treasure Island? I attended that just a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/14 "2016-12-04T02:24:24Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > Here’s a recent post from Ghost Ship owner Derick Ion’s Facebook account: > > [https://www.facebook.com/derick.ion.9](https://www.facebook.com/derick.ion.9) > No apologies, just self-pity. This post would make sense if there were no injuries or fatalities. THIS is nothing more than “I’m sorry I got caught.” :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: Last I heard, First Responders can’t even go in and retrieve the bodies because the walls are in danger of collapsing. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/15 "2016-12-04T02:59:41Z")
Was the place just supposed to be a ‘work’ space or were people living there? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/16 "2016-12-04T03:06:57Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Ghostship: see: > [http://www.oaklandghostship.com/](http://www.oaklandghostship.com/) Wow. It would be hard to imagine a place more deserving of the word “firetrap”. I can’t seem to find the link just now, but I read something about the actual owners of the building being a family name Ng, who were saying (claiming?) they’d been recently assured by the tenants (Derick Ion?) that it was being used only as a sort of art workspace - no one was living there. The place doesn’t look like it could have hoped to qualify for a residency permit. Is there any info on who organized this event? Did they charge admission? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/17 "2016-12-04T03:18:19Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Was the place just supposed to be a ‘work’ space or were people living there? According to the owners, there wasn’t supposed to be anyone living there. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/18 "2016-12-04T03:28:30Z")
I just checked that Facebook link, and the comments are not surprising. One of them even says that his kids were recently taken away by CPS! :eek: They were returned, but I bet they won’t be for long. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/19 "2016-12-04T04:00:27Z")
Here’s a link to an article in the [East Bay Express](http://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2016/12/03/was-operator-of-oakland-warehouse-fire-venue-warned-of-safety-issues-illegal-construction-danger). The full name of the “operator” of the Ghostship building is apparently Derrick Ion Almena. He’s already taking some serious flak. I’d guess he’s in for a rough couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782/20 "2016-12-04T04:31:28Z")
AIUI, The demand for “Loft Living/Working Space for Artists” in the Bay Area (lived there 30 years) has outstripped the supply of “Old Warehouses Brought to Minimal Livability Standards” that the folks way too young to die, and therefore are immortal, are moving into any thing that _Looks Cool and Hip!_. What was it, 20 years ago the [del]warehouse[/del] Loft Space with really high ceilings became “cool”? “Anything not nailed down is mine” “Anything I can remove with a crowbar is not nailed down” Then there was the “minimal housing for people without papers” - cheap partitions in old firetrap warehouses in SF. The march of condo towers in SF has destroyed many of the old buildings in what was industrial area 100 years ago. So now the old warehouses in Oakland are “prime hipness”. Not at all surprising. Warehouse were build to hold stuff. Stuff that could be lost in fire cheaper than the cost of fireproofing the building. This is just “waiting to happen”. The owner thought he had a gold mine - a dirt cheap building became so hop that 100’s of young “artists” WANTED to be there. Sad, but not the least surprising. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ghostship-in-oakland-california/773782.md?page=2)