It will be a long time, for instance, before anyone can determine just how such a preventable tragedy could have happened, and how it might be avoided in the future.

Research demonstrates that occupational accidents and illnesses are often preventable tragedies.

"These are totally preventable tragedies," Mr. Ogden said.

It would be morally intolerable to acquiesce in this preventable tragedy.

But in a written statement, Mr. Ferrer said the fire was a "completely preventable tragedy."

So here is another preventable tragedy for which culpability is diffuse.

One of the tragedies of the war - a preventable tragedy in the view of many doctors and nurses - occurred here.

Few people are listening, which insures that preventable tragedies will continue.

The session will also look at future public health challenges and opportunities in reducing the number of preventable tragedies caused by injury and violence.

But many said they were still at a loss to understand why an easily preventable tragedy had happened.