The death toll from a blaze that gutted a warehouse during a rave party in Oakland, California has climbed to 24 and is expected to rise, Sergeant Ray Kelly said Sunday.

"Thus far, with about 20 percent of the building searched we have located 24 deceased victims of this fire" Kelly, who works for the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, said at a press conference. Authorities previously said that nine people had died in the fire of undetermined origin.