Perhaps if the whole ability of anonymous volunteer fellow posters to impose closure upon entire threads - were now removed - such 'accidents' could be avoided in future?

Not at all shambles, even if all the modding was done by Joe or even Max, there is no reason to suppose that they are any less capable of "pilot error" than a volunteer.

If there is a problem that needs addressing, it is the location or operation of the link (I don't know where it is now but delete [there was no close then] used to be with the post-top-forum home etc, links and a click would delete a post with no confirmation - I did it ONCE - and built the Annexe to take such links to open a new page rather than work instantly for that reason) but personaly I don't think it's any big deal (not even with deletes now from what I understand) as matters can be corrected simply.

I really can't imagine too many people getting their knickers in a twist if a thread gets closed accidentally once in a while and gets re-opened when the mistake is realised.