WASHINGTON _ President Barack Obama mourned the deaths in the weekend's warehouse fire in Oakland that killed at least 36, saying in a statement Monday that his administration was in close contact with local and state officials to monitor the response.
"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.
Most of the victims were in their 20s and 30s, police have said, attending a secret electronic music show late Friday at the Ghost Ship, a piano factory that was being used as an art space.
Noting that Oakland is one of the "most diverse and creative cities" in the nation, Obama pledged the "unwavering support of the American people" as residents there recover.
Authorities are investigating whether any criminal activity led to the fire, one of the worst in modern California history.
Its cause is undetermined. Officials have said the warehouse was being investigated for possible code violations at the time of the fire. Some former residents described it as a cluttered "death trap" lacking fire sprinklers.
