CA - Massive fire at Oakland warehouse party, 36 dead, 2 Dec 2016 #2

[MsMarple]

Wow! It took just 30 seconds from the time people realized what happened to the time they were covered in toxic fumes.

30 seconds.... 30! I guess while I was trying to register what is going on, I'd already be gone.

Such an eye opener. I never looked at fire from this perspective before.

Let me check my smoke & fire alarms!

What freaked me out was the time it took for people to realize not only that there was a fire but that it was serious enough to start heading to the exit. They were all like deer in the headlights - frozen and confused. In another video about the same fire I learned that the guy taking video was accused of not helpng and worse, of blocking people from getting out because he was busy filming. He'd been hired to make a safety video that night. Anyway, the station that hired him paid out 30 million to victims and their families. There's more on the aftermath on WIKI, including the criminal charges, sentencing and jail time served by the various people involved.

It'll be interesting to see how the Oakland fire plays out in comparison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Station_nightclub_fire

 

[EstrellaEspectral]

I read that all the victims in Oakland died of smoke inhalation. I'm not sure if that brings any comfort to me, personally. I'm still raging mad that they were subjected to the horror in the first place. So much life left to live. It's tragic. It shouldn't have happened.

 

[kbpirate]

I have found myself scanning for exits and exit routes since the Aurora movie theatre shooting. It's sad when you take your child to the movies and have to pick a seat based on making yourself safe instead of enjoying the movie.

I was responding to Eloise who had said that we should not have to, b/c it is the responsibility of the club owners. Yes, it is their responsibility, however, humans are fallible (there are more warehouses than this one, underground clubs, poorly marked exits, cramped quarters, etc...). If you read my post, I stated that back when I was younger, no, I didn't always take note,if ever, but, due to being older, wiser, and most importantly changing times, I do a cursory check of my surroundings when I go into any facility now. Be it a restaurant, motel, concert arena, or movie theater., and yes, in crowded situations, I do it every time, even in a mall. I don't rely on anyone to save me. I'm a biker and everyone is wearing these watch out for biker shirts and posting watch out for the bikers memes, not me, I watch out for me and it'ssaved my life on more than one occasion. I am responsible for me, I don't take it for granted that anyone else is looking out for my best interests. Just passing on a bit of life lesson in hopes someone may benefit (from someone who's been around the block a time or two).

Edit: If it's too dark to see the exit when you come in, how are you going to see it when the lights go out and the room is full of smoke or there's an active shooter? No, I'm not paranoid, but I am safety conscious these days.

 

[skibaboo]

Mine are connected to the security center of the building. When one goes off, security is on the door in a minute.

However, I removed the buzzer in one of them (I have 4), because my vaping trips it. That is for smoke though, heat would activate sprinklers.

After watching this, I am gonna put the buzzer back. I do not want to wait for someone to knock my door after a minute. I want to gtfo of the there as soon as possible!

I live in a housing association property, I have one in each room and a carbon monoxide alarm, fire safety officers come every year to test them, they also run of the main power supply and only have batteries for back up if needed, the smoke alarm in my hall is linked to the main one in the building. If one persons alarm goes off they all go off. It actually went off on Saturday, frightened the life out of me and the cats were freaking out because it is SO loud. The fire trucks were here in about 3 minutes. It was tripped by accident by another tenant a block away from me, it happens a few times a year. It's very reassuring to me right now

 

[Dr. K]

This all makes me so sad. I saw an interview the next morning with one of the residents who was able to escape, who said there were fire extinguishers everywhere but in the moment no one could remember where they were. He also said that another roommate had broken his ankle, but he thought the fire was melting his skin, and he had to leave his friend with the broken ankle behind (who ended up dying). There are no words….

 

[CountingCrows]

What freaked me out was the time it took for people to realize not only that there was a fire but that it was serious enough to start heading to the exit. They were all like deer in the headlights - frozen and confused.

What I am talking about is something even before that stage of confusion sets in. I'd be just staying there calmly trying to register what is happening. This in a sober state of mind. If I had couple glasses of wine, by the time I came to a realization, I'd already have had inhaled my 3 lethal doses of hydrogen cyanide!

Yeah... In fire drills of my building, I change my trousers, I search get my valet. Look for sunglasses. Grab the laptop and couple of hard drives.... What an imbecile really! Never gonna happen again after watching that!

But... I am still better than the rest! We had people come down 20 minutes after alarms went off!

 

[rsd1200]

What freaked me out was the time it took for people to realize not only that there was a fire but that it was serious enough to start heading to the exit. They were all like deer in the headlights - frozen and confused. In another video about the same fire I learned that the guy taking video was accused of not helpng and worse, of blocking people from getting out because he was busy filming. He'd been hired to make a safety video that night. Anyway, the station that hired him paid out 30 million to victims and their families. There's more on the aftermath on WIKI, including the criminal charges, sentencing and jail time served by the various people involved.

It'll be interesting to see how the Oakland fire plays out in comparison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Station_nightclub_fire

It is odd how they reacted, though, I don't think they realized at first that it was not part of the show. The pyrotechnics were almost like flames and went on for a long time, then turning into actual fire. I believe the ones up front realized it well before the ones in back caught on that it wasn't still part of the pyrotechnics. Why on earth they thought it was okay to set those things off I'll never know. I think the manager and owner got 15 years but only served five each. There were several exits, but still some folks got crushed in the stampede.

 

[rsd1200]

I live in a housing association property, I have one in each room and a carbon monoxide alarm, fire safety officers come every year to test them, they also run of the main power supply and only have batteries for back up if needed, the smoke alarm in my hall is linked to the main one in the building. If one persons alarm goes off they all go off. It actually went off on Saturday, frightened the life out of me and the cats were freaking out because it is SO loud. The fire trucks were here in about 3 minutes. It was tripped by accident by another tenant a block away from me, it happens a few times a year. It's very reassuring to me right now

.
I've got to pick up a new carbon monoxide detector. Ours is old. I've got a fire/smoke detector but really need to replace it as well. I picked up this little plug in thing, that I put in the hall outside the bedroom, and the light comes on, and it emits a screeching noise, when the electricity goes off. It's kinda handy, especially if sever weather hits during the night. We keep flashlights at arms reach, under each side of the bed, too and keep check on their batteries.

 

[KaaBoom]

He started out trying to control the interview and it went downhill from there. MOO

He should have stopped with "I'm sorry".

 

[CountingCrows]

I live in a housing association property, I have one in each room and a carbon monoxide alarm, fire safety officers come every year to test them, they also run of the main power supply and only have batteries for back up if needed, the smoke alarm in my hall is linked to the main one in the building. If one persons alarm goes off they all go off. It actually went off on Saturday, frightened the life out of me and the cats were freaking out because it is SO loud. The fire trucks were here in about 3 minutes. It was tripped by accident by another tenant a block away from me, it happens a few times a year. It's very reassuring to me right now

That is some great setup. I don't know about fire tracks. With perpetual traffic, I don't think anyone will be here so fast. So I better prepare myself to get out of it.

 

[rsd1200]

I have found myself scanning for exits and exit routes since the Aurora movie theatre shooting. It's sad when you take your child to the movies and have to pick a seat based on making yourself safe instead of enjoying the movie.

.
I was at a concert a few weeks back, and buying tix online, you don't get to pick your seating as well, but when I got to my seat, I took note of which side was the easiest to exit in case of an emergency. I was fairly familiar with the venue, but, I'd not sat on that side so just took a sec to double check things. Fire, storm, nut-job, you never know. I didn't sit and worry during the show, and had a blast, but, that little check is just something I've built in to my routine over the years.

 

[KaaBoom]

Is it possible to take this guy's passport without a charge yet made against him? Seems like he could be a flight risk.

I'm sure LE has an eye on him.

jmopinion

They need to just arrest him already. If he was in a car and mowed down 39 people, the cops would slap the handcuffs on him right there. But because he did it with fire, they have to wait for the District Attorney or the Grand Jury, or whatever to decide? No, just charge him.

 

[CountingCrows]

This all makes me so sad. I saw an interview the next morning with one of the residents who was able to escape, who said there were fire extinguishers everywhere but in the moment no one could remember where they were.

Salvaged/scrap fire extinguishers. I don't believe for a second a dump like that has a functional one.

 

[human]

Why would he kill himself? He has done nothing wrong, And when he gets arrested, he will know that it is a fluke and he will be released.

And when he gets sentenced, he still knows it will be a matter of moments before he is released.

Maybe he can meet his idol Charles Manson

 

[Carolina Girl]

Continued prayers for those that have lost loved ones. Gitana, thank you for sharing, but it was not necessary. Sometimes the papers and news do not need to share everything they hear. Sending love and hugs to you and yours, as well as all the Families hurting now.

 

[CARIIS]

OT

Neurosis can be interesting.

I smoke. A lot. Often on the bed with you wonderful folks.

Second floor.

The place has the built in ceiling smoke alarms.

I have a baby (ruff ruff Baby)

rumination - go to amazon and get a couple of smoke alarms.

Done.

Dug out fire extinguisher -

Taking a time out ---with wonderful gay disco.

But can not do so without saying to Git - well , there is really nothing to "say", now is there --there are no words really

Saying to Git thinking about you all- would it not be awesome if all of us thinking about you could change something

Not so

Crying again -going to my disco , but thinking about you and wishing you well -

Can not help this - group therapy is best for this horror-- for all of you

trust me --not individual therapy

with love

CARIIS

 

[kbpirate]

gitana, you and your family, as well as all the other families that lost loved ones are in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[LinasK]

She's there at the Sherriffs Center for the victims. I'm with her for the moment.

 

[Foxfire]

I've been reading everyone's experiences and close calls in various fire situations, etc. I am retired after 25 years with Atlanta Fire and although you learn to compartmentalize the tragedies while performing your duties in the initial extinguishment & rescue activities at fire scenes with large life loss. It is in the aftermath of the tragedy that lingers in the memories of first responders for a lifetime...

On the Friday before the 4th of July Holidays I was working at Engine Company # 23 when an alarm came in. You could detect the urgency and concern in the dispatcher's voice. E-#23 was the first arriving pumper to an occupied 10 story high rise with fire showing on the 6th floor.. I can still vividly see the family portraits on the desks of those fire victims from almost three decades ago...

Five-Fatality Highrise Office Building Fire
Atlanta, Georgia

At 1029, June 30, 1989, in Atlanta, Georgia, an electrical fire originating on the sixth floor of a 10*
story office building killing five people, and injuring 23 civilians and six firefighters. One woman
had jumped from a sixth floor window prior to the fire department’s arrival and was seriously
injured. Firefighters removed approximately 14 people over aerial ladders and rescued five others
from the interior of the building.
The electric closet where the fire started opened directly onto the exit corridor. When the fire
erupted, it immediately blocked the corridor, keeping most victims away from the two exits serving
the floor.
This fire was reported to be the first multiple death U.S. highrise office building fire in over 10 years.
The fire demonstrates the need for automatic sprinkler protection for highrise buildings and illus
trates the impact that occupant behavior can have on survival in fire situations.
All of the trapped survivors broke windows to offices and waited for rescue. Four of the people who
died were overcome by smoke and toxic gases in the corridor or in offices where windows weren’t
broken. The fifth fatality was an electrician who was seriously injured by the initial electrical arc,
then died from the effects of the fire.
The 10-story fire resistive office building was constructed in 1968 and was not required to be
equipped with automatic sprinklers..
<Snipped - read more>
http://www.ajc.com/news/actual-fact...fire-killed-five-1989/lxCWvgIMe5VuaLFeasLU9J/

 

[skibaboo]

That is some great setup. I don't know about fire tracks. With perpetual traffic, I don't think anyone will be here so fast. So I better prepare myself to get out of it.

I know, I feel fortunate, I'm in the UK and it's law for the housing association. If the alarm goes off it triggers an alarm at the fire station. They have always been very quick to respond. Most of the time it has been a false alarm but several years ago my neighbour on the ground floor, I'm 2nd floor at the top, it's just ground, 1st and 2nd. Her daughter was playing with matches in her bedroom, yeah great parenting.. and set fire to the bed. The fire trucks were here fast that time too but smoke was billowing out the window, we were told to keep all windows closed and stay indoors until given the all clear.

I have anxiety and am neurotic as hell. Ever since that happened I've ran contingency plans in my head on how to get my cats to safety as fast as possible ..... and I turn everything off at the fuse box if I leave the house for more than an hour!