Police release names of victims in Oakland party fire

Authorities in Oakland have begun releasing the names of the victims of the horrific “Ghost Ship” warehouse fire that left at least 33 people dead Friday night.

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau posted seven names on the city website Sunday night, along with a note saying a 17-year-old minor had also been identified.

The deceased included Cash Askew, 22; David Clines, 35; Nick Gomez-Hall, 25; Sara Hoda, 30; Travis Hough, 35; Donna Kellogg, 32; and Brandon Chase Wittenauer, 32.

The minor, whose name was initially withheld, was later identified by family and friends as Draven McGill — an 11th-grader at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco who loved electronic dance music and was “merely trying to have a little fun and live his life” that night at Ghost Ship, a classmate said.

“We are all in utter disbelief and shock,” Emma Shen wrote on Facebook. “I know for a fact that Draven was an immensely talented member of the SOTA vocal department who had so much of his life to live for and enough time to live it.”

McGill is so far the youngest of those confirmed dead. His close friend Kai Thomas, 16, told the Orange County Register that the teen had died from smoke inhalation.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelly warned Sunday that the death toll could reach an “astronomical number” by the time authorities were done sifting through the scorched ruins.

“We have no idea how many people were in the building that night,” he said. “We don’t even know how many people got out of the building. We’re expecting the worst and hoping for the best in regard to how many victims we find.”

Alameda County prosecutors launched a criminal probe Sunday into the tragic fire, though details were not provided.

“It is far too early to have suspicions about what caused this fire,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf told the LA Times.

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By Sunday afternoon, officials had searched roughly 35 percent of the “Ghost Ship” building and pulled out 33 bodies — most of which were burned beyond recognition, cops said.

Survivors have estimated at least 50 people had been in the building when it went up in flames.

Information about the seven victims who were publicly identified Sunday began trickling out throughout the night.

Askew, of Oakland, was part of a band called Them Are Us Too and was said to be a talented musician and DJ, according to the Times.

“Everybody just saw this star, just saw this shooting star in her,” said fellow musician Madigan Shive.

Hough, also of Oakland, was a creative arts therapist at a Bay Area school and also enjoyed making music as a member of the band Ghosts of Lightning.

“He was a super fun person to be around. I never had a bad day being around him,” his manager, Brendan Dreaper, told the Times. “Travis had his heart open to everything and I’m at a loss for what to say. He just was like a bright light for everyone that he ever met.”

The victims represent just a small portion of the free-spirited and creative horde that gathered at Ghost Ship on Friday night — with those in attendance ranging in age from 17 to 35.

Most sported crazy-colored hair, tattoos and a simple, unabashed love of life.

“Mourning the loss of so many beautiful souls,” Kimya Dawson, who went to school with Kellogg, wrote on Facebook. “Love and light to all those who lost someone to this tragic event.”