Death toll from Oakland warehouse fire stays at 36

The death count from the Oakland warehouse fire remained at 36 Tuesday morning, and officials said they do not expect to recover more victims from the ruins of the building. Crews worked through the night, one day after having to stop their efforts for nearly nine hours while officials assessed a “wobbly” wall that appeared to be in danger of collapsing. Before recovery efforts were temporarily halted, investigators found what appeared to be the spot where the fire began — in the center-rear of the converted warehouse. President Obama weighed in on the disaster Monday, saying his administration was working “to make sure that authorities have everything they need as they continue response operations and investigate the cause of the fire.” “While we still don’t know the full toll of this disaster, we do know that an American community has been devastated, and many people — including young men and women with their whole futures ahead of them — have tragically lost their lives,” Obama said in a statement. Oakland is one of the most diverse and creative cities in our country, and as families and residents pull together in the wake of this awful tragedy, they will have the unwavering support of the American people. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley has deployed a criminal investigation team in response to the blaze, which happened in a building that officials said had city permits only for use as a warehouse. Memorials have spread around the area near the burned warehouse, with dozens of candles, bouquets, handwritten signs reading “never forget ghost ship” and “party on for us friends we’ll see you shortly.” Many Small pieces of purple paper were tied with ribbon to a fence near the burned warehouse and included the names of victims.