California

Judge Denies Contractor's Request to Join Investigators in Berkeley Balcony Inspection

A judge on Thursday denied a general contractor's request to be present when investigators examine the wreckage of a balcony in Berkeley that gave way, killing six students last month.

Segue Construction asked for the order, which included seeking a restraining order to preserve evidence, several days after a prosecutor announced a criminal investigation was underway in the collapse that injured seven other people in Berkeley. But Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo said no to all Segue's requests. He said allowing Segue to be present would be tantamount to participating in a government investigation.

Segue said in its court filing that it's concerned evidence may have been damaged when officials removed the collapsed balcony and another one below it a few hours after the June 16 fatal tragedy.

Berkeley city officials concluded last week that the balcony's wooden support beams were rotted by water damage. They didn't determine how the damage occurred.

On Monday, the city released documents showing an inspector had given the balconies at the apartment building a clean bill of health last year.

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