The father of an Irish student who died in the Berkeley balcony tragedy has urged the US authorities to ensure a similar tragedy could never happen again.
As the burials took place on Wednesday in Dublin of two more victims, it emerged that the Californian town’s district attorney was considering a fresh investigation into the accident.
The district attorney’s office in Berkeley said it “will begin looking at the matter” of its own inquiry but stressed that no formal investigation had been launched.
Berkeley authorities confirmed that their investigation found the number of people on the balcony during the party was not a factor in its collapse. Dry rot was the only contributing factor, according to Eric Angstadt, director of the city’s planning and development department.
However, Berkeley’s mayor confirmed that the police would not be carrying out a criminal investigation into how the balcony supports collapsed, killing six students – five from Ireland and one from the US.
The families of those who died now only have the option of taking civil action in relation to the tragic incident, which took place last Tuesday during a 21st birthday party at the flat complex.
At the funeral of Niccolai Schuster in Dublin’s Rathgar district on Wednesday, the 21-year-old’s coffin was flanked by friends wearing the colours of Bayern Munich, the student’s favourite football team.
In a message during the requiem mass, his father, John Schuster, said: “We have lost our magical son and we are devastated ... Leave no stone unturned in this investigation. This cannot happen again.”
He also appealed to other parents not to hold back their children’s dreams of travelling. “Let your kids go, do not let this deter you. Let them have freedom, it will give them life experience,” he said.
Schuster added that his son had planned to move from California to South America, and had he survived, Niccolai would have travelled “on one leg” to get to that continent.
The history and politics student at University College Dublin was a grand-nephew of the writer and playwright John B Keane, and his father said Niccolai loved to read the author’s stories from County Kerry.
Meanwhile, in Foxrock, South Country Dublin, Grammy-nominated Irish musician Hozier
performed an acoustic version of Work Song, one of Olivia Burke’s favourite songs, at her funeral in the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour on Wednesday afternoon.
In his tribute to his daughter, Paul Burke mentioned her cousin, Ashley Donohoe, 22, who was also killed in the accident. “Separated by over 6,000 miles, they were incredibly close,” he said.
“From around 18 months old, all the way to recent years when they continued to trade trips to Ireland and San Francisco, none more exciting than the surprise arrival of Ashley to Olivia’s 18th birthday party. You two guys departed this world side by side, together in God’s place and may you look down on the rest of us.”
Mass-goers burst into applause when he delivered this final message to his daughter and niece. He said: “You are not forgotten, loved one, nor will you ever be, as long as life and memories last, we will remember thee. We miss you now, our hearts are sore, as time goes by we miss you more. Your loving smile, your gentle face, no one can fill your vacant place. Olivia Burke, my darling, may you rest in peace.”
The last of the six students killed in the accident, Lorcán Miller, 21, will be laid to rest on Thursday, following a funeral service at Rathmichael parish church in Shankill.
