Death toll stands at 36 in Oakland warehouse fire

(AP) — As crews searched the Oakland warehouse for more bodies, the founder of the arts collective stood near the gutted building Tuesday morning and said he was "incredibly sorry" and that everything he did was to bring people together.

The fire erupted Friday night during a dance party at the warehouse that had been converted to artists' studios and illegal living spaces.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Tuesday afternoon that it is looking at the possibility that a refrigerator or other appliance was the source of a warehouse fire that killed 36 people.

Jill Snyder, the special agent in charge of the ATF's San Francisco office, said it's too early to say for sure a refrigerator caused the blaze, but she said it was a potential source of ignition.

Oakland Fire Battalion Chief Robert Lipp said crews have cleared 85 percent of the "Ghost Ship" building with one corner still inaccessible because it is unstable.

The district attorney warned of possible murder charges as she determines whether there were any crimes linked to the blaze.

The cluttered warehouse had been converted to artists' studios and illegal living spaces, and former denizens said it was a death trap of piled wood, furniture, snaking electrical cords and only two exits.

Gallo said Almena essentially told authorities to "mind their own business" and appeared resistant to addressing complaints and complying with city codes.

Oakland Fire Battalion Chief Melinda Drayton told the San Francisco Chronicle that investigators believe the fire started in the center-rear of the converted warehouse.