I read in the paper that a boy of 13 was airlifted out in critical condition because a fireplace fell on him. Maybe this was a fancy two-story fireplace whose chimney soared up a couple stories. (But why wasn't he safe in his bed at 3 am?) I've also seen a picture of a brick building in the town of Napa with significant damage. Both these examples fit with something we know about earthquakes: they are harder on buildings built of brick or stone than on wooden buildings. For one thing, the shaking damages the mortar. For another, the walls are rigid and cannot yield. I'm willing to bet that the winery buildings that were damaged were built of stone. If you live where there are quakes, live in a wood-frame house. When hit by a quake, it flexes and jiggles. Have smoke detectors, of course.
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