We are devastated that this happened and our hearts go out to the victims, families of the victims of the Oakland Ghost Ship fire and to the responders who continue to deal with this incident on a daily basis.
In our nation’s history, there have been many fire incidents that have shocked us. Sadly, the Oakland Ghost Ship now becomes part of this unwanted legacy.
As Fire Marshal of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, I would love to say that there is no way this could ever happen here. But the fact of the matter is that no matter how much the jurisdiction provides inspections and tries to educate the public on the dangers of such occupancies, I cannot say that this is something that could not happen here. It absolutely could.