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Oakland's Ghost Ship fire a disaster waiting to happen

Despite known hazards, fire department had not inspected warehouse in 30 years

Published Fri, Dec 23, 2016 · 09:50 PM

    Oakland, California

    THE charred, roofless shell of the Ghost Ship, the warehouse where 36 people perished on a chilly Friday evening in early December, is clearly visible from the driveway of Oakland firehouse No. 13.

    Though the warehouse sits less than 200 metres away, the firehouse's proximity did nothing to help prevent the United States' deadliest structural fire in more than a decade. For years before the Dec 2 fire, the Ghost Ship may just as well have been invisible to the Oakland Fire Department.

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