Berkeley balcony collapse: ‘Frozen in shock and disbelief’

Authorities have sealed off all the balconies in the apartment building where six students plunged to their death during a 21st birthday party.

Officials in Berkeley, California confirmed building inspectors visited the complex following the tragic accident and “red-tagged” the remaining balconies. A number of investigations are being carried out, with authorities confirming the building’s owner has been given 48 hours to complete a structural examination.

The six students who died after the balcony collapsed have been named as Ashley Donohoe, 22, and Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Niccolai Schuster, Lorcan Miller and Eimear Walsh, who were all 21.

RELATED STORY: Updates: Six Irish victims of Berkeley balcony collapse named.

Several of them were from south Dublin and students at the city’s University College Dublin.

Ms Donohoe was from Rohnert Park, California, while the other five students — two women and three men — were from Ireland. Mr Culligan was from Co Mayo.

Many of the students who had been attending the party were past pupils of St Mary’s College in Rathmines, south Dublin. They left the school in 2012.

Seven other students, all believed to be Irish are being treated at hospitals across the city — some for very serious injuries.

Three others from the class of 2012 are believed to be among the injured — they were named locally as Jack Halpin, Conor Flynn, and Niall Murray.

They were all on a working holiday on a summer visa scheme popular with Irish students. Some 700 Irish students are in the San Francisco Bay area for the summer.

The families of the six students who died and those injured are due in California today.

UCD president Andrew Deeks sent a message of condolence to the family and friends of those who died.

“We cannot comprehend the desperate shock and grief they are feeling and we are heartbroken at their suffering and loss,” he said.

“Our students, like thousands of others across Ireland, head to the US each summer on J1 visas to enjoy the experience. It is heart-breaking to imagine such a tragedy would strike these wonderful students when their lives are opening up to discover the world.”

Philip Grant, consul general with the Department of Foreign Affairs in the region, said there had been an overwhelming outpouring of support locally.

“For many of my countrymen it’s a formative experience and to have this happen at the start of this season is something that has left us all frozen in shock and disbelief,” he said.

“We are a very close, tight-knit group. Ireland is a small country and when you have the numbers that we had here today very few of us have been left untouched by this tragedy,” he said.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan confirmed the news was broken to close relatives of those killed in the accident at an apartment yesterday evening. “I want to express my deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this appalling incident. We continue to provide all possible consular assistance to those affected.”

Up to 50 students were celebrating a 21st birthday party when tragedy struck. A group of 13 were on the balcony when it collapsed causing them to plunge about 40ft to the ground.

Emergency staff confirmed four died at the scene while two others died later in hospital. The accident happened at about 12.45am local time, about 8.45am Irish time.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and President Michael D Higgins led expressions of condolences to the families, friends and loved ones, but Mr Kenny said it was too early to predict the full extent of the “dreadful accident”.

There were no immediate details of how the incident occurred. Investigations by local police are centring on how many people were on the balcony when it collapsed and the stability of the structure. The complex in Library Gardens off Kittredge Street is believed to have been built in 2006.

Addressing the Dáil, Mr Kenny said he was shocked and saddened by the incident. “My heart breaks for the parents who lost children,” he said. “It is truly terrible to have such a serious and sad incidence take place at the beginning of a summer of adventure and opportunity for so many young people on J1 visas in the US.”

Pictures showed the balcony appeared to have broken off from the building and partly landed on the third-floor balcony below as well as in the street.

Those caught up in the incident were rushed to hospitals and trauma centres in and around Berkeley, and also in Oakland and to Walnut Creek, with fire crews from several stations in the city involved in the emergency response. Social workers were on hand in some of the hospitals to field calls from family and friends of those caught up in the accident.

A special emergency helpline set up at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin has been inundated with calls in the wake of the tragedy.

President Higgins sent a message of condolence while on a state visit to Italy.

“I have heard with the greatest sadness of the terrible loss of life of young Irish people and the critical injury of others in Berkeley, California.

“My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of all those involved. I have been informed of the consular assistance being provided to assist all of the families involved and I have asked to be kept informed as further details emerge.”

Fr Brendan McBride of the Irish Emigration Pastoral Centre, who attended one of the hospitals where three of the students were being treated yesterday, described it as “the worst nightmare”.

All government buildings will fly the Tricolour at half mast today.

Anyone with concerns about friends or family is asked to call the Emergency Consular Response Team on 00353 1 418 0200.

RELATED STORY: Updates: Six Irish victims of Berkeley balcony collapse named.