At least two people have been killed and 17 injured, including seven children, after a three-story building collapsed into a construction site in Brooklyn, New York City officials say.
The collapse happened just after 4 PM on Wednesday, November 11, at a mixed-use building on Flatbush Avenue near Bedford Avenue in the Flatbush neighborhood, CBS New York reports. Mayor Zohran Mamdani called it “devastating” and said fire crews reached the scene within one minute of the first 911 call.
What are officials saying?
More than 250 firefighters were deployed to the scene, and helicopter footage showed hundreds of rescuers searching the rubble for survivors. At one point, crews appeared to use a saw to cut through the wreckage.
“This has been an incredibly challenging and fast-moving situation, with precarious wreckage to navigate and dangerous voids beneath the surface,” Mayor Mamdani said.
Of the 17 people who were injured, four are in critical condition and 13 are stable, according to the FDNY. One of the injured is a firefighter with minor injuries. It’s unclear how many people remain trapped.
Crews were seen pulling someone from the rubble and placing them on a stretcher, passing them carefully from person to person. As darkness fell, rescuers used sniffer dogs and flashlights to light the area where they worked.
How did the rescue begin?
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said a crew returning from another emergency came across the scene and immediately took action, helping to pull the first victims from the debris.
“We continue to search any void spaces looking for any victims, and we’ve removed a few from that collapse area,” he told a news conference. He said there is concern about a second collapse, and firefighters will remain at the scene for several days until they’re confident no one else is trapped.
What do we know about the building?
City records show the collapsed building was built in 1930, according to CNN. It had four residential units. It collapsed next to an open construction site where excavation was under way, and the Department of Buildings said plans had been approved for a three-story building there, CBS New York reports.
A neighboring building that shared a wall with it remains standing but is exposed, showing bedrooms and closets filled with clothing.
What happens next?
The Department of Buildings and law enforcement are leading an investigation into what caused the collapse. Displaced residents were taken to a local YMCA, where the Red Cross is helping them find places to stay.
“I want to ask New Yorkers to please take a moment to pray for those who passed away today and all of those who are mourning their loss, as well as for a fast and full recovery for all those who were injured,” Mamdani said.
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the first responders as they work tirelessly in the wake of this tragedy.
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