Here are some photos inside the warehouse, before the fire.
http://abc13.com/news/photos-inside-oakland-warehouse-before-inferno/1639407/#gallery-1Honestly, I can think of some antique malls that are just about as cluttered and maze-like, with space rented out to many different people, and the exits not well marked. And in my youth I partied in some places that were probably just about as dangerous.
That whole area, whether on the Oakland side of the bay, or the SF side, is expensive to live in, and people with marginal income are are going to wind up in similar places.
If any good comes of the disaster, maybe some people will realize that your karma, art, and spirituality won't help you if you live in a tinderbox with bad wiring.
