The death toll from the Californian warehouse fire rose to 36 before emergency workers put the search for more bodies on hold over safety fears.
Officials said they expect to uncover more fatalities from the wreckage of the club in Oakland – with a “significant number” of people still missing.
But an unstable, leaning wall has forced fire officials to halt the search temporarily.
Melinda Drayton, battalion chief for the Oakland Fire Department, said: “We absolutely believe that the number of fatalities will increase.”
But she added “we are still no closer to finding a cause”.
The converted warehouse known as the ‘Ghost Ship’, in Oakland,California, was being used to host a dance party when the fire broke out at 11.30pm on Friday (7.30am on Saturday UK time).
It is so far unclear what caused the fire in the building. Officials believe there were between 50 to 100 guests inside at the time.
Former residents who lived at the warehouse said the building had few exits and a makeshift staircase.
Sergeant Ray Kelly of Alameda County sheriff’s department said the blaze could have been sparked by a cigarette.
He said people either escaped from the building or died inside, where the only way down from the second story was via a stairwell made of wooden pallets.
