The six students who died in a Berkeley, Calif., apartment balcony collapse never should have crowded onto the balcony, said an ex-city official.
The students — 5 of whom are Irish, were at the Library Gardens apartment complex celebrating the birthday of a female student, who is among the dead.
The balcony collapsed under the weight of the students sending them plunging four floors to the street below, the NY Daily News reports. 7 other students suffered stable to critical injuries.
Former city official Carrie Olson said the balcony was not designed to hold 13 people at one time. Olson, who served 14-years on the city’s review committee, said the small balcony was only designed to hold one or 2 people to get a breath of fresh air.
“It was definitely not large enough to be what the city would call an ‘open space balcony,’ where groups of people could stand outside,” she told the San Francisco Chronicle.
“It seems that those students were just doing what young people do, crowding onto a balcony,” she said. “That’s just what kids do.
Firefighters red-tagged balconies in two others buildings as well Liberty Gardens. The balconies in the other buildings were removed to repair rotting wood and replaced.
“Both required extensive repairs, and the (owners associations) have now settled for millions of dollars to remedy the problems,” said attorney Tom Miller.
Olson said she abstained from voting to approve the building in 2001.
“That building was difficult to love,” she said. “It’s bland, and in fact we used it as an example of what not to build.”
Tragic…
Sandra can we get an up to minute play by play on Sha’Rachelle crazy a@@ family included her pervert brother?
It’s a 19 kids n molesting to Jenner/ transgender foolishness are rolled up in one!!
I will wait ova there to comment
<——.
Sad, but he’s absolutely right. That is a tiny balcony and they should have known better.
On topic. It’s a sad tragic that lives were lost!!
? families!!
Poor kids.
What is the process when you die in another country.
Do their parents have to come from Ireland to claim them and have them shipped back?
And that’s exactly why my scary behind don’t like bridges, manhole covers, or anything else that can fall while I’m on it. Wow.
Sorry those kids lost their lives…what a shame.
Sad. Just sad. The hurt people must feel to lose a child. I could not imagine. Them being Irish is important because…I’m confused.
It’s a 19 kids n molesting to Jenner/ transgender foolishness are rolled up in one!!
^^^^^^^^^^
Hot tears
RIP.
Sad
Does the F5 button work on this new format?
Things that make you go Hmmmm
Tragic but this is why me and mines don’t play on balconies esp on vacation unless it’s a HUGE one and you better not go near the edge. Too many things can happen. I also have issue with the grates in the city. NO MA’AM. My 3 yro got the life snatched out of her when she ran out on one while in Mexico…Almost gave her whiplash…. Eric Clapton knows…
Imma assume no. What was it?
This is so sad! I’m pretty sure I’ve heard about this type of thing happening in the past in other cities.
I wonder if they were jumping around clowning
I’m guessing they have to claim the person and ship them back. Things a parent shouldn ever have to say. ” I gotta go claim my child and ship them back to be buried”.
Exactly. You never know what can happen, when or where it will either. I’m taking this as an early lesson shoot.
That is so rude. I feel ashamed that I caught this and laughed
The balcony was designed for two people to only get a breath of fresh air. ? I’m sure they couldn’t have known.
Finally figured out how to put my gravi pic back up. Now if I could figure out how to follow the flow of convo without feeling like a crackhead I’ll be okay.
Um..a breath of fresh air. So the time limit on the balcony seems like shoddy materials to begin with. I don’t want nothing structural coming with foolish limitations. That wasn’t a “just jiggle the handle for it to stop running” flaw. I feel so sorry for these children.
Exactly! Who would even think that it was there basically for cosmetic purposes.
I had changed me email address & lost my gravi & it took forever for me to get it back. I was worried a newbie would come in here w/my gravi. ???
*New post
What about the Black Girl Scouts who were being compared to monkeys in by ADULTS in Maryland just the other day? I’m so sorry about the deaths of these young adults, but I never see anything about “our girls”.
Suzanne!!! hey sugar!
Such a said story. I hope the landlord made them aware that the balconey was just for play play. Otherwise she/he’s going to have some problems.
Definately. And I think it was college kids the last time too.
Agreed!
Agreed!
According to good morning america the balcony weight limit was 2300 pounds I believe. Im not exactly certain on that number but i know they said it was enough that every student that was on balcony would have had to weigh 230lbs to meet the limit. These contractors are shady as hell nowa days. I’m sure that’s the issue.
Why don’t they put a sign up or something, explicitly saying how many people they’re supposed to hold? They do with this with large rooms, elevators, etc. I mean, people still aren’t likely to listen to them, but if the thing collapses and they all get killt, no one can be held liable. The above is still pretty dang sad, though. Hate hearing about people dying over the most trivial and preventable ish.
I work with international students and the parents have to travel to the U.S. to claim their loved ones remains to take the body back to their home country for burial. Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed the process too many times?.
Thank you for answering. I can’t imagine
Airlines are giving the families a steep discount,
Airlines are giving the families a steep discount,
True! When my sister and I where kids we would jump on manholes on the sidewalk just to hear them clink. My mom always warned us to stop.We did — after my sister fell down a manhole. (crine). She was okay after firefighters got her out. DOH! Moral of the story: Don’t jump on manholes and Mama is always right.
I’m almost sure that was an implication that their celebration included being being completely tanked which improperly implies negligence on their behalf .
YEAH ithink this will prompt all apartment complexs to put a sign on the balcony that state how many it holds cause this is a tragedy for sure .. i cant imagine how bad that fall was . they say four floors but some floors are high up there
This gives me the sads ?. …but how do you say…..ya’ll need to call Ken Nugent in Irish Gaelic?