A Number Of Musos Have Been Confirmed Dead Following Oakland Fire

As the death toll continues to grow following last Friday's devastating warehouse fire in Oakland, a number of musicians have been confirmed dead in recent days. 

So far, 36 people are reported to have been killed in the blaze and the latest, as noted by LA Times, is Cash Askew of goth-pop duo, Them Are Us Too. 

The 22-year-old artist had formed the band just last year and recently went on tour. 

Them Are Us Too's label, Dais Records, released a statement shortly after Askew's death was confirmed. 

"She was loved and admired by everyone she met, and her passing is an excruciating loss that we may never fully process or recover from," the statement reads.

Meanwhile, VJ Jonathan Bernbaum, who frequently worked with Perth electro duo Knife Party has also been confirmed dead. 

It is understood that Bernbaum was working at the Ghost Ship party on the night.

"If you've seen a Knife Party show in the last 3/4 years, there’s a 99% chance you were watching Jon's visuals and know how talented he was," Knife Party's Rob Swire tweeted earlier this week. 

"He was into film/art/noisy music and had a general fuck off attitude to his work, so we became friends pretty quickly. I’m gonna miss him.

"Don’t know what else to say. The electronic music scene is shittier today without Jon behind the visuals. RIP."

Some of you have probably heard by now- our good friend (and VJ for Knife Party) Jon Bernbaum was the VJ for Ghostship in Oakland on Friday.

— Rob Swire (@rob_swire) December 5, 2016

If you've seen a Knife Party show in the last 3/4 years, there’s a 99% chance you were watching Jon's visuals and know how talented he was.

— Rob Swire (@rob_swire) December 5, 2016

He was into film/art/noisy music and had a general fuck off attitude to his work, so we became friends pretty quickly. I’m gonna miss him.

— Rob Swire (@rob_swire) December 5, 2016

Don’t know what else to say. The electronic music scene is shittier today without Jon behind the visuals. RIP

— Rob Swire (@rob_swire) December 5, 2016

LA Times has also reported the deaths of electro artist Micah Danemayer (Paralycyst), house artist and radio host, Chelsea Dolan, Travis Hough of local band, Ghosts Of Lightning, Ben Runnels of synthpop group Introflirt, Brandon Chase Wittenauer of music duo, Symbiotix.Fungi and Jennifer Kiyomi Tanouye who most recently worked as a music manager at Shazam.

Meanwhile, Pitchfork have reported that artist Joseph Matlock, aka Joey Casio, is still unaccounted for.

Manager of the warehouse, Derick Almena, spoke to NBC's Today about the tragic event earlier today. 

"I'm only here to say one thing, that I'm incredibly sorry and that everything that I did was to make this a stronger, more beautiful community and to bring people together," Almena said.

"People didn’t walk through those doors because it was a horrible place. People didn’t seek us out to perform and express themselves because it was a horrible place."

A visibly distraught Almena defended himself over safety concerns of the warehouse. 

"I didn't do anything ever in my life that would lead me up to this moment," he said.

"I'm an honorable man. I’m a proud man.

"No, I’m not going to answer these questions on this level. I’d rather get on the floor and be trampled by the parents. I’d rather let them tear at my flesh than answer these ridiculous questions."