Change culture to honour them - Berkeley catastrophe

A SOCIETY where light-touch building regulation, among other things, facilitated the construction of a fire trap so dangerous — Priory Hall in Dublin — that residents had to be removed by court order for their own safety should probably think twice before responding angrily to the news that the company that built the Berkeley apartments where six students died this week paid $3m last year to settle a case over alleged defects in apartment buildings.

It would be more than understandable though if the grief felt by the families and the friends of the dead was exacerbated by the dreadful news. Another regulatory failure in the construction sector, another avoidable tragedy.

Court records show that Segue Construction, the company that built the Library Gardens complex in 2007, paid the sum to settle a legal action alleging water damage on balconies and windows. Mayor of Berkeley Tom Bates has said the balcony collapse at the Library Gardens building in Berkeley was primarily caused by water-damaged wood. Mr Bates said initial findings suggested the wood was not properly caulked and sealed when the building was being constructed.