Balcony collapse in California kills Irish citizens

RobertKK · 16-06-2015 12:16PM #1

Happened 3 to 4 hours ago in Berkeley California. 5 dead and 8 injured.

A balcony collapsed and a terrible tragedy. Details scarce at this stage but Irish involved.

Their poor families and friends, and hopefully the injured can recover fully.

Irish foreign affairs have provided this phone number if you have concerns about family who are currently in Berkeley: 01 418 0200

The_Valeyard · 16-06-2015 12:19PM

Horrible way to go. Details very vague at the moment.

RIP to all the victims, and condolences to their families.

jimgoose · 16-06-2015 12:20PM

Jaysis, awful news. RTE has it:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0616/708497-california/

Ed Winchester · 16-06-2015 12:20PM

Jesus that's awful.

RIP to the dead.

Boom_Bap · 16-06-2015 12:21PM

Here's the first source i've come accross on this:

http://www.thejournal.ie/balcony-collapse-california-2164756-Jun2015/?utm_source=facebook_short

Can I also remind people to be respectful, family and friends may not be aware of this having happened yet.

Larbre34 · 16-06-2015 12:23PM

I know two people with college age kids staying in Berkeley for the summer. I havent the heart the ring either of them, just have a horrible cold feeling.

Edit, christ ive just read it was a 21st and one of them was 21 at the weekend

LadyFenghuang · 16-06-2015 12:24PM

Sad for both the Irish and the Americans. RIP.

Deathwish4 · 16-06-2015 12:37PM

Tragic news, very distressing for all involved. RIP

homerjay2005 · 16-06-2015 12:40PM

awful awful tragedy. hopefully the people that are injured pull through and make a full recovery.

thoughts and prayers with the families right now.

16-06-2015 12:50PM

Fuark this is horrible. I know some people over there at the moment, hope its not them. RIP to all involved and hope whoever survived makes a full recovery. Feel sorry for the families

RobertKK · 16-06-2015 12:52PM

Watched a bit about it on Fox news, the injured are fighting for their lives, the scene was so bad that the responders had to call for back up.
Seems to be all Irish involved.
Awfully sad situation.

LadyFenghuang · 16-06-2015 12:54PM

It's near the Berkley campus so it's like they are young people even the Americans. It must be tough for the Irish families to be far away. I hope there are no more deaths from the injured.

sunshine and showers · 16-06-2015 12:55PM

How devastating and tragic. My heart goes out to them and their families.

I hope the injured pull through.

Egginacup · 16-06-2015 01:04PM

Oh Man, that's shocking. I know people are going to bang on about the balcony being overcrowded and all that usual "blame the victim" stuff but a balcony should be able to withstand the force of as many people who can actually get on it, then double that strength. That's how engineering works.

16-06-2015 01:04PM

RobertKK wrote: »

Watched a bit about it on Fox news, the injured are fighting for their lives, the scene was so bad that the responders had to call for back up.
Seems to be all Irish involved.
Awfully sad situation.

Just dont read the comments under the article on their website

edit: like seriously, dont, most of the commenters are genuine scum

K4t · 16-06-2015 01:06PM

I wonder how many people were on the balcony, and what was the size of the balcony.

Seems strange that a balcony should simply collapse - Somebody's getting sued.

Stheno · 16-06-2015 01:08PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Just dont read the comments under the article on their website

Amen to that, some of it is pretty sick

RIP to those who died. I hope their families get all of the assistance they need.

Tragic story

errlloyd · 16-06-2015 01:09PM

I friend is on a J1 in the same apartment complex, he says as far as he is aware the victims are all Irish. It's incredibly tragic. Start of the trip, for many probably the first time they've been away from their families. RIP.

Dirty Dingus McGee · 16-06-2015 01:11PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Just dont read the comments under the article on their website

What an unbelievable bunch of scumbags on that website.

16-06-2015 01:12PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Just dont read the comments under the article on their website

The people making those comments are scum, I read them myself :mad:

jon1981 · 16-06-2015 01:13PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Just dont read the comments under the article on their website

+1 There are some seriously messed up people over there! I was repulsed by some of the comments.

EDIT: Most of the comments, seriously there are some absolute c**ts commenting there, the odd post is a well wisher with most gloating! :mad: :mad: :mad:

LadyFenghuang · 16-06-2015 01:13PM

Deleted User wrote: »

The people making those comments are scum, I read them myself :mad:

Hopefully the families will not.

Fratton Fred · 16-06-2015 01:15PM

Terrible tragedy. My thoughts are with those involved.

Knex* · 16-06-2015 01:16PM

I can't even imagine what this is like for the families of the people involved.

How you can read about this and lack basic empathy for victims and their loved ones, and go and post some of those comments under that article is beyond my comprehension.

Horrible story.

Not a NSA agent · 16-06-2015 01:16PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Just dont read the comments under the article on their website

I'm assuming liberals built the balcony to Obama's specs which caused it to fail?

FootShooter · 16-06-2015 01:16PM

The top balcony is the one that collapsed: https://goo.gl/maps/b3AnX

The apartment complex is called Library Gardens and is very popular with students all year round.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/five-killed-balcony-collapses-fourth-floor-berkeley-n376181?

thebaz · 16-06-2015 01:18PM

Stheno wrote: »

Amen to that, some of it is pretty sick

RIP to those who died. I hope their families get all of the assistance they need.

Tragic story

agree , some horrible sick reading - the American right can be bad - but hopefully just the thoughts of a tiny sick few. Thoughts with the family of the dead and injured - both American & Irish

BabySlam · 16-06-2015 01:19PM

Chilling news. they are all Irish.

16-06-2015 01:20PM

LadyFenghuang wrote: »

Hopefully the families will not.

How is there so many hateful people though, wow shocked by it :mad:

16-06-2015 01:21PM

jon1981 wrote: »

+1 There are some seriously messed up people over there! I was repulsed by some of the comments.

EDIT: Most of the comments, seriously there are some absolute c**ts commenting there, the odd post is a well wisher with most gloating! :mad: :mad: :mad:

Yeah it's actually sick to read, absolute scum.

But I'd rather not give them any more attention and just think about the tragedy, RIP

homerjay2005 · 16-06-2015 01:22PM

those fox comments are simply appalling. never seen anything like that.

Balcony collapse in California kills Irish citizens

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