‘I don’t think six people have died in Berkeley all at once – it’s unthinkable’
N EXT door to the city’s Public Library, locals gathered on the cordoned-off area from early morning to try to make sense of the tragedy.
Shock and anger filled the streets surrounding 2020 Kittredge Street in Berkeley, as news that six Irish students fell to their deaths from one of only two front-facing balconies on the Library Gardens complex began to spread.
A handful of red plastic beer cups that lay amongst small piles of concrete rubble were a grim reminder that the students were celebrating a 21st birthday when the horrific incident took place, but no amount of yellow police tape could prepare onlookers for the view of the railings of the lone fourth floor balcony perching on top of the one below, after apparently making an almost clean break away from the wall and glass French doors.
Around the corner from the media swarm in Starbucks, two Irish students politely declined to comment after huddling over their iPhones, texting and talking to family members to assure them they were okay.
One of the stricken young men said: “I knew them, sorry, I just don’t want to speak at all.”
DCU student Connor Mulligan from Dundalk, who arrived here on his J1 Visa on May 26, is worried people will try to blame the accident on alcohol.
“We were actually at a baseball game last night and got off the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) at about 12 and we walked this side of the road back home about half an hour or 45 minutes before it happened. We didn’t hear a party or see anyone on the balcony. We live about a 10-minute walk away up near the college. We heard the helicopters going over the house at about 6am, so it was pretty crazy.
“It will be very hard for the people that are close to them – I’d say a lot of them will go home.”
Jennifer James, who originally comes from Waterford but has lived in nearby Oakland for 15 years, arrived at about 9.30am local time with a friend to offer comfort, support and a place to stay to any students affected by the tragedy.
After laying flowers on the ground, she told the Irish Independent: “It’s shocking. My nephew is going into second year in college so it could have been him – it’s his age group, his peers. It’s very upsetting because we know how it feels to be so far away and to live 6,000 miles away from your family. I’m thinking about the kids who survived and don’t have any support here.”
Thousands of J1- ers come to the Bay Area to live and work every summer, with many of them choosing to reside in leafy, sundrenched Berkeley, known for its eclectic community and comparably fog-free evenings.
Jennifer added: “I think the allure of Berkeley is because housing is so expensive and scarce in San Francisco. It’s a student town and I know a lot of these students are working up in CAL because my daughter goes to summer camp up there.”
By 11.30am, more griefstricken Irish students began to arrive on the street. About 10 young women shed silent tears as they made their way home. One, who asked not to be named, said: “We’ve heard rumours about names, but don’t know for sure yet. I’m just praying I don’t know any of them.”
Just weeks after moving here from her native France to begin studying at the nearby University of California, Berkeley, in August, Alison Vayne felt a close connection to the victims.
She said: “I looked at apartments around here and I stopped at Library Gardens so I’m very shocked about what happened here. The price put me off – they were very expensive, I think for one bedroom it was close to $ 2,000 a month – that’s why I’m shocked about the quality of the balcony for that price and what happened.
“I’m just shocked and I’m sad. They were probably very young and just starting out in life.
“I can only imagine what the families feel like now. And for the people that live in the building too – seeing it happen, it must have been horrible.”
Local construction worker Morgan Subrayan, who has lived in the area of 26 years, believes dry rot is responsible for the incident.
Asked for his reaction, he said: “Mad and upset. It’s a five-year- old building and it’s so ridiculous that all the wood is so badly dry rotted.”
He added: “It’s so sad, six of them died and it’s just ridiculous. Kids, college students at university, they’re going to have fun, they’re going to drink, but why should the structure come down.
“I’m sure they’re going to find some alcohol, you see all the cups down there, but what has alcohol got to do with the structure?”
Morgan also believes it is irrelevant how many students were on the balcony at the time.
“The thing is this, it’s dry rot. Look at it – there is no denying it and it’s a five-yearold building during a drought – there is no rain. All these guys are making money; they are charging an arm and a leg to the students. This is Berkeley – you could pay $ 2,000 for a studio – make it safe.
“The city has to really get involved and the builder has to get involved – I think they have to change the rules and that anything above two or three stories has to have a solid iron beam.”
Tears
While a helicopter flew overhead, another elderly woman, who has lived in North Berkeley since 1957, broke down in tears as she surveyed the scene on the “usually pretty quiet” street.
She said: “I am crying for those families. I came here to go to the post office, I didn’t even know this happened until I got here.”
Another long-time local added: “This is a very student area, a few families. I’m in shock. I don’t think six people have died in Berkeley all at once in my memory. It’s unthinkable.”
She also noticed an influx of Irish students in the area in recent weeks.
She said: “Many years ago, around 2006 there were lots of Irish students over the summer and then not, and then this summer again I’ve noticed them. I thought it had to do with the Irish economy, so more people can probably afford to come over now.”
Oakland native Ninette Lewis, who works in education in Berkeley, said: “We’re in the neighbourhood and I didn’t realise how close it was. It must have been terrifying. You can still see there is a red partying cup there.”
Student Elizabeth Prater, who lives in Berkeley, added: “This is going to impact a lot of people. A lot of people live here and will be really mad.”