5 dead, 8 injured in Berkeley balcony collapse, police say

Sometime before 1 a.m. on Tuesday, a fourth-story balcony collapsed at a Berkeley, California, apartment building, killing five people and injuring eight others, Berkeley Police spokeswoman Jennifer Coats said, adding that the injuries sustained by the survivors are "very serious and potentially life-threatening." Coats said she didn't have any information on the age or gender of the people killed or hurt.

When police arrived on the scene, they found that the balcony had crumbled. "We don't know what happened," Coats said. "Officers on scene talking with people." The four-story mixed retail and residential building is on Kittredge Street in downtown Berkeley.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up