What caused the collapse? - Los Angeles Times
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Infographic: What caused the collapse?

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One possible reason for the balcony collapse that killed six people in Berkeley was water getting into the horizontal wooden beams supporting the balcony, causing dry rot, according to Gene St. Onge, a civil and structural engineer in Oakland. Read the story

The Library Gardens complex, built in 2007.

Balcony

before

collapse

40 ft.

Before

The balcony was supported by seven

horizontal wood beams.

After

Broken wood beams protruding from the

building showed signs of dry rot.

All measurements are approximate.

The Library Gardens complex, built in 2007.

Balcony

before

collapse

40 ft.

Before

The balcony was supported by seven

horizontal wood beams.

After

Broken wood beams protruding from the

building showed signs of dry rot.

All measurements are approximate.

The Library

Gardens complex,

built in 2007.

Balcony

before

collapse

40 ft.

Before

The balcony was

supported by seven

horizontal wood

beams.

After

Broken wood

beams protruding

from the building

showed signs of

dry rot.

All measurements are approximate.

Before

After

The balcony was supported by

seven horizontal wood beams.

Broken wood beams protruding from

the building showed signs of dry rot.

The Library Gardens

complex, built in 2007.

40 ft.

All measurements are approximate.

Before

After

Broken wood beams protruding from

the building showed signs of dry rot.

The balcony was supported by

seven horizontal wood beams.

The Library Gardens

complex, built in 2007.

40 ft.

All measurements are approximate.

Sources: Google Earth, Gene St. Ong, civil and structural engineer, Bernard Cuzzillo, consulting engineer. Graphics reporting by Rong Gong-Lin II.

Kyle Kim, Raoul Ranoa, Lorena Iniguez Elebee@latimesgraphics


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