No Charges In Berkeley Balcony Collapse That Killed Six Students

Jeff Chiu / AP

No criminal charges will be filed in the case of Berkeley, California, apartment balcony collapse that killed six students and injured seven more, the district attorney announced Tuesday.

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said in a statement that there was not enough evidence that any person or company had acted negligently to cause the balcony collapse. Her decision came after a nine-month investigation.

"This is not a decision that I came to lightly,” O’Malley said. “It is the culmination of months of consultation with my team of attorneys. It follows extensive review of reports, both legal and factual, and numerous meetings with investigators and experts."

The collapse on June 16 killed six college students, five of whom were from Ireland. They were celebrating a 21st birthday at the apartment when the fourth-story balcony gave way. Seven other people who were on the balcony at the time of the collapse were injured.

Jeff Chiu / AP

In the days following their deaths, local officials pointed to water damage that caused rot of the wooden beams supporting the balcony. On Tuesday, the district attorney's office confirmed water had become trapped in the structure, causing the rot, because of the materials used in construction as well as wet weather during the time of construction.

Jeff Chiu / AP

Though a number of individuals contributed to these circumstances, the district attorney's office said there was not enough evidence to show the deadly collapse was foreseeable, or that anyone had acted with extreme negligence or disregard to human life.

Another investigation by the California Contractors State License Board is continuing to see if any of the companies involved in construction acted in a way that their license should be revoked.

Already, local officials have toughened building codes, requiring inspections every three years of existing balconies. New buildings must use rot-proof materials in construction.

The district attorney told reporters her office had reached out to the victims' families before publicly discussing the decision not to file charges.

"I am keenly aware of the devastation and injuries each victim and each family suffered and continues to confront," O'Malley said. "Friends, families, and entire communities both in California and in Ireland have been affected by the horror of that day."

LINK: Rotted Wood Beams Cited In Berkeley Balcony Collapse That Killed 6

LINK: Berkeley Balcony Collapse That Killed 6 Students “Likely” Caused By Rot

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