Obama sends prayers to 'devastated' Oakland after deadly fire

Obama sends prayers to 'devastated' Oakland after deadly fire Obama sends petitions to "crushed" Oakland after lethal fire OAKLAND — President Obama sent supplications to a "crushed" group Monday while prevailing voices in Oakland battled with the depressing push to expel stays from the stockroom where a Friday fire asserted no less than 36 lives. Powers said it is impossible that more casualties would be found. Work was stopped for around nine hours Monday after powers decided the building was perilously insecure for firefighters creeping through the destruction, said Fire Battalion Chief Melinda Drayton. "Working under an unstable, possibly giving way outside divider is to a great degree perilous," she said. "We won't put our firefighters in risk."