Special Reports

UC Berkeley Students Feared To Be Oakland Fire Victims

By

There are growing concerns over the lives of students who may have attended the concert or party that was held in a warehouse in Oakland, Ca. The Oakland Fire Department chief has described it as "the most deadly fire in Oakland Fire's history."

Local source The Daily Californian reported that Jenny Morris, a UC Berkeley student, has been identified as one of the Oakland Fire victims. Her roommate, Vanessa Plotkin, is still missing.

Former UC Berkeley student Griffin Madden and Chelsea Faith Dolan, a DJ for the campus radio station KALX, are also missing. An alumnus, David Cline, was confirmed to be dead on Sunday night. Berkeley employees Nick Gomez-Hall and Donna Kellogg were also confirmed to have died.

On Monday afternoon, Alameda County Sheriff's Office Sheriff-Coroner Gregory Ahern revealed that the office has recovered 36 bodies. 33 of them have been identified. 16 of the victims' families have been notified.

Darin White, deputy chief of Oakland Fire Department's Field Operations Bureau, noted that officials were able to finish 75 percent of the debris removal. The Coroner's Bureau has already conducted 32 autopsies, with more scheduled.

According to Inside Higher Ed, there are fears for students who attended the concert/party on Friday at the "Ghost Ship." San Francisco State University confirmed that a graduate student in education went to the event and is missing.

UC Berkeley issued a statement regarding the Oakland fire. "We realize how difficult this is for those who knew the people whose passing has already been confirmed, as well as those who anxiously wait for news of their friends and loved ones," Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said to the community.

The school has counseling services available for students at University Health Services. Students can visit this link to learn more about the program.

CBS reported that a 17-year-old student has been confirmed to be one of the Oakland fire victims. Draven McGill, a junior at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, was the son of a deputy for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.

© 2024 University Herald, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics