The Asians feel that when bad situations happen the karma isn't good and something must be done to fix whatever condition is presenting or making the series of bad events happen. That is why Feng Shui is big in Asia.
One could look at it as bad karma for the event to occur while others look at it as good karma for the person to still be alive. I like to look at it as some guardian angel is watching over the person to see them to safety from that bad event.