Berkeley balcony collapse: Undue haste in closing inquiry

IT is alarming, to say the least, that authorities in the City of Berkeley in California have confirmed that no person, builder, owner or commercial entity is being investigated in relation to the balcony collapse last Monday that killed six students and injured seven others.

In what seems like undue haste, city officials have already closed their investigation and the Berkeley Police Department is not carrying out any criminal investigation in connection with the tragedy.

A very brief investigation by engineers in Berkeley has concluded that the collapse had nothing to do with the number of students on the balcony. It was all down to extensive dry rot of supporting timbers.

Even from photographs on the internet, it was plain to see that the wood had all the tensile strength of a Cadbury’s Flake. It was a tragedy waiting to happen.

The decision not to bring any criminal charges means that the only recourse available to the injured and love ones of those who died is to launch civil actions, a hugely expensive procedure in California.

In any event, that is probably the last thing on the minds of the families of the Irish students as they bury their sons and daughters.

The Irish Government should make representations to the federal US authorities and relay our dismay at this decision.