At least two people died and 17 others were injured when a three-story building collapsed in a Brooklyn neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon.
The collapse occurred in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn. Debris from the building fell into an adjacent construction site.
Firefighters Search the Flatbush Rubble
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) responded to the collapse. Crews used pickaxes, power saws, and search dogs to search the four-unit building.
About 250 firefighters worked the scene, according to Mamdani.
Firefighters pulled a woman alive from a hole in the rubble at around 6:30 p.m. The Associated Press reported she was taken to an ambulance on a stretcher.
WABC footage showed another person being pulled alive from the wreckage about two and a half hours after the collapse. A man believed the rescued person was his wife, who is six months pregnant. “I’m very happy, I’m very happy,” he told WABC.
“This type of rescue is exactly what the FDNY trains for,” Mayor Mamdani said.
Fatalities and Injuries Increase as Building Collapses
Officials confirmed multiple fatalities and injuries. Different outlets provided varying counts for the incident.
| Category | Reported Figures | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fatalities | At least 2 | WAFF |
| Total Injuries | At least 17 | BBC News |
| Injuries in Critical Condition | 4 to 6 | WAFF / The Sun |
| Minor Injuries | 6 | The Sun / Detroitnews |
| Children Injured | 7 | BBC News |
Authorities said one victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Local media reported that construction workers were among those injured.
One firefighter sustained minor injuries, according to fire officials.
Anderson Velez described the moment the building failed. He told the New York Post that his wife called him during the collapse, while she and their two children, ages 7 and 2, were trapped under rubble.
“She called me when the building collapsed while she was inside with rubble on top of her. She was screaming for someone to help get my son out and then the call cut off,” Velez said, adding that he later learned his family was pulled from the wreckage alive.
FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore described the rescue work as “dangerous and perilous.”
“Every move is choreographed,” Bonsignore said.
Debris Falls Into Construction Pit
Ahmed Tigani, New York City’s buildings commissioner, said an excavation was happening when the building fell.
Much of the debris from the mixed-use structure fell into the adjacent construction pit.
Attempts to reach the architect, property owner, and general contractor associated with the project via phone and email were made for comment.
Earlier coverage: Six Dead in Fast-Moving Brooklyn Residential Building Fire