Apartment Balcony Collapses in Berkeley Killing 5 People, Injuring 8

ktla ^

[Tigerized]

I wonder if they even HAVE a Physics Department anymore at UCB.

Sometimes a basic understanding of structures will save your life.

[wattsgnu]

Looking at the size of that terrace, I would think it could hold 2 people comfortably/safely. Were all 13 people on it or were some of the injured on the ground or on the terrace(s) below?

[Gamecock]

Tragic.

[JoeProBono]

[SeaHawkFan]

I never get on a crowded balcony for this very reason.

[GSWarrior]

A sixth person has died in the hospital.

[stillonaroll]

Take a look at SFGate's photos of the balcony. Rotted wood from water intrusion? Many Bay Area buildings constructed in the last 20 years are of shoddy quality, often requiring extensive retrofits to fix the defects.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Five-dead-8-hurt-in-Berkeley-balcony-collapse-6329902.php#photo-8158978

[fwdude]

Most modern construction is of shoddy quality. I’ve heard it from the experts who have been around awhile. I’d like to read an in-depth discussion of the reasons. It’s more than economic (money has always been in limited supply,) it’s cultural and philosophical.

[Vigilanteman]

Irish citizens and were “for the most part students . . .”

For some reason, I'm betting that large quantities of adult beverages were involved . . . which tend to impair rational thinking.

Now why do you suppose I would get that idea?

[Gaffer]

I’m guessing that balcony used sistered floor joists instead of continuous and the nails/lags gave way......

[Arm_Bears]

At least 5 fewer votes for Hillary!.

[Jewbacca]

“rish citizens and were “for the most part students . . .”For some reason, I’m betting that large quantities of adult beverages were involved”

Impossible. The Irish never drink.

[Gaffer]

Yep....I’d first posted it might have been because of sistered joists, but these look like they failed a couple feet away from the building...might have been water damage rot.

[JoeProBono]

[wattsgnu]

I was at a college dorm party with about 100 people dancing in the living room. The amount that the floor flexed, I’m surprised it didn’t break. I thought at the time it might, but being of college age and ‘invincible’ made you not worry about it. Not too smart of us. My prayers go out to their families.

[dfwgator]

Somebody’s gonna get sued.

[Dick Bachert]

“Progressives” live in a fantasy world devoid of facts, logic and apparently the laws of physics. Perhaps because the structure “looked” and “felt” right they went ahead and built it without doing the structural analysis and calculations.

[martinidon]

Yep and lots of smoking! That is probably why they were on the Balcony.

[a fool in paradise]

I see these multistory complexes built nowadays with all wood construction for easy tear down in 20-30 years.