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Fire officials say the remains of 33 victims have been recovered from a the charred ruins of a converted warehouse that went up in flames during a dance party at a nightclub.

The death toll is expected to climb even higher as around 80 per cent of the building in Oakland, California, still needs to be searched after the deadliest blaze in the city's history.

Authorities announced they had initiated a criminal investigation into the fire. Police have said that arson was not suspected.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation as a recovery team combs through the remains of the two-storey warehouse which was used by the Ghost Ship Artists Collective.

(Image: Rex) (Image: Getty)

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At a press conference on Sunday Sgt Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, confirmed two dozen bodies were located, increasing the death toll from nine.

He said: "In regards to the amount of people that are still missing, yes, it's a significant number."

Hours later police announced nine more bodies had been located.

It was originally feared that around 40 people could have died in the blaze which broke out late Friday night. Many of the victims were believed to be in their 20s and 30s.

Melinda Drayton, battalion chief of the Oakland Fire Department, said firefighters have gone through the building searching the debris, "bucket by bucket".

She added: "It was quiet, it was heartbreaking. This will be a long and arduous process."

(Image: Sky news)

(Image: Rex)

(Image: Photoshot/Avalon)

About a dozen people survived the blaze which broke out during a dance party featuring electronic music performances at the nightclub.

The event was part of musician Golden Donna’s "100% Silk" tour.

The DJ, whose real name is Joel Shanahan, survived the fire.

(Image: Darin Marshall/Facebook)

A delicate recovery operation is taking place after the building's roof collapsed into the second floor - where the nightclub was located - and in some spots the second storey fell into the first.

Authorities were investigating whether the warehouse, which was partitioned into studios where artists lived and worked, had a history of code violations.

There was no evidence of any smoke detectors or sprinklers, and the building had just two exits, said officials.

(Image: @OaklandFireLive/Twitter)

The city had received complaints about construction done without permits at the building and opened an investigation, but an inspector failed to gain access to the structure on November 7, and the inquiry remained open, said the city's buildings and planning chief, Darin Ranelletti.

He said the city was aware of reports that people were living there, but no permits had been issued for habitation.

It was unclear, he said, whether special permits would be needed for the artists who worked inside.

(Image: Facebook) (Image: Facebook)

Derick Ion Almena, one of the collective's operators, has been blasted online over a social media post in which he seemed more concerned about his own plight.

He wrote: "Confirmed. Everything I worked so hard for is gone. Blessed that my children and Micah were at a hotel safe and sound… it’s as if I have awoken from a dream filled with opulence and hope… to be standing now in poverty of self worth."

The Facebook post sparked outrage online, with user Joyce Makar writing: "I hope your heart changes after you read posts from people that are exposing your narcissism. Such a shame is your post. Shame on you."