Eight people have lost their lives and 18 others were injured after a three-storey building collapsed in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn on Wednesday. The structure, which housed apartments and a store, crumbled into a construction pit where workers were present, prompting a massive emergency response.
Scene of Devastation
Witnesses described a loud boom and a cloud of dust as the building gave way around 4pm local time. The building, located at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, was constructed in the 1930s and was adjacent to an active construction site where a new 64-unit residential building with a ground-floor grocery store is planned. Excavation work was underway at the time of the collapse.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised the heroism of first responders and survivors. "Workers who had only barely survived themselves turned back and dug victims out of the rubble," he said. Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said firefighters arrived within minutes and called their actions "incredibly heroic." She added that crews remain in a recovery phase, working through heavy rain and falling temperatures to locate every victim.
Victims and Investigation
Authorities confirmed that six adults and two children were killed, including two construction workers. Six people were pronounced dead at the scene, while two died in hospital. Four firefighters are among the injured, and one person remains in critical condition. None of the victims have been publicly identified.
Mayor Mamdani described the victims as "our friends and our neighbours. Our parents and our children. Young families building their lives in our city, and immigrants from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Trinidad and beyond."
The cause of the collapse is still under investigation. The city's buildings department said there were no prior violations at the building, but officials are looking into whether criminal charges are warranted. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez stated on X: "We are working closely with the Department of Buildings and our law enforcement partners to determine whether any criminal conduct contributed to this tragedy." The developer, Robert Fischman, has ties to at least 100 other sites in the city, which are now being inspected.
Community in Shock
The collapse occurred on a normally busy avenue, leaving residents and passersby in shock. One man told the BBC he had delivered an Amazon package to an apartment in the building just minutes before it fell. "It sounded like a big boom and you just heard a bunch of screaming," said Emmanuella Carilus, who lives behind the building. The husband of a pregnant woman rescued from the rubble expressed his relief to CBS News: "She is alive. She is still alive. I'm very happy. I thank all of you guys. She's pregnant, six months."
More than 250 firefighters responded to the scene, working through the night. As recovery efforts continue, the community mourns the loss of life and awaits answers.
