Six bright young lives were cut short in Berkeley, California, last week when rotten joists supporting a balcony gave way and spilled them and seven of their friends into the street. What had been a celebratory birthday party for young J-1 visa students turned into a nightmare. The calamity was so sudden, so dreadful and so arbitrary that the entire country was shaken out of its self-protective cocoon and mourned with the parents and families of those affected. A similar, supportive response was forthcoming in San Francisco.
Now that the victims have been laid to rest, the most exhaustive inquiry possible should be initiated into circumstances leading to the tragedy. We already know the wooden joists supporting the balcony were severely damaged by dry rot, apparently because the timbers were insufficiently protected from water. This potential threat had been identified and rectified in other apartment blocks owned by the same company. Official inspections of the property at Library Gardens however – the last one in 2007 – are said to have failed to identify a need for repairs or modifications. Those reports represent important evidence. Because of what occurred, recommendations have been made to change building regulations so that, in future, wooden supports for balconies exposed to the weather can be inspected at regular intervals.
A decision by the Building and Safety Division of the City of Berkeley not to launch a criminal investigation because there was no evidence of wrongdoing may be technically correct, but it is self-serving. The building regulations and inspection system devised by the city clearly failed to identify and prevent the emergence of a life-threatening situation. Because of that, action by the Alameda County District Attorney in opening an independent investigation will reassure those involved that a bureaucratic cover-up will not go unchallenged.
It would be reassuring to think the worst is over and that affected families can get on with their lives. But that is not what happens in the aftermath of such traumatic events. Years may pass before the loss of a beloved son or daughter can be accepted within a reduced family circle. For others, it may never happen.
In grieving for the dead, we should not forget those young people who were severely injured by the fall and those traumatised by the events of that night. Five students remain in hospital, some in intensive care and with life-changing injuries. These young men and women, on the cusp of life, are among our brightest and best. We wish them well. We should also remember, with appreciation, the support offered to the affected families by individuals and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic during the past week. In that regard, the caring role played by Irish diplomat Philip Grant stands out.