Berkeley Balcony Collapse

June 16, 2015

On June 16, 2015, a balcony collapsed in Berkeley, California, resulting in the deaths of five Irish J-1 visa students and one Irish-American, with seven others injured. The group was celebrating a 21st birthday. Investigations revealed that the wooden joists supporting the balcony failed due to dry rot from improper construction. The tragedy led to significant changes in California building codes regarding balcony inspections.