Female DJ, music promoter, among warehouse fire victims

Female DJ, music promoter, among warehouse fire victims

(AP) — The Oakland warehouse fire took the lives of musicians, artists and others trying to break down barriers with their performances.

Among them was a female disc jockey who encouraged women to get involved in the male-dominated scene of electronic music.

A promoter who sought to launch the careers of new underground talent.

The death toll from the Friday night fire that ripped through the dance party in the converted warehouse remained at 36 on Tuesday and Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern told The Associated Press he didn't believe more bodies would be found.

Chelsea Faith Dolan was a brilliant DJ and producer who was beginning to get the recognition she deserved in a genre of music typically dominated by men, said fellow DJ Nihar Bhatt.

Dolan, whose death was confirmed by city officials on Tuesday, encountered overwhelming sexism and was working to get more women involved in electronic dance music, mentoring people and starting a musicians' learning group, Bhatt said.

Riley Fritz graduated from Staples High School in Westport in 2005 and the School for the Visual Arts in Manhattan in 2010.

Ben Runnels, who played guitar and sang, was introverted but connected to people through his music, said Brendan Dreaper, who helps operate Mixtape, the Oakland-based company that managed his band.

Siegrist, who played the synthesizer, was an outgoing "free spirit" who used herself as a canvas, painting black streaks or bold marks on her face to contrast with outfits like a veil, halo of flowers and white dress.

The two went to the warehouse show with friends, including musician Travis Hough, who also died in the fire and worked with Mixtape.

Ewing said one of her latest causes was to raise money and awareness for American Indians and others protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline Project in North Dakota.

Ruax is a yoga instructor, entrepreneur and activis