NEW YORK — At least five people have died after a three-story mixed-use building collapsed beside a construction excavation in Brooklyn, and firefighters continued searching the rubble Thursday for anyone who might still be trapped.
The death toll rose overnight when crews recovered three additional bodies, according to The Associated Press. At least 17 people were hospitalized, including four in critical condition. Seven children were among the casualties, although officials had not said whether any children were among those killed.
What happened in Flatbush
The building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, near Bedford Avenue, collapsed shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday and fell toward an adjoining construction site at 2625 Bedford Avenue. The property had businesses on the ground floor and apartments above.
Reuters reported that the four-unit apartment building dated to 1930. Excavation work was underway in the neighboring lot when the collapse occurred, Fire Department Chief John Esposito said. Officials have not determined what caused the building to fail, and the presence of nearby excavation does not by itself establish responsibility.
The collapse also tore away part of an adjacent building’s wall, leaving rooms exposed. City Department of Buildings inspectors were evaluating nearby structures as streets around the site remained closed.
Rescuers work through unstable rubble
About 250 firefighters and police officers worked through the night using search dogs, power tools, drones, buckets and vacuum equipment. A fire crew already in the neighborhood reached the scene within a minute and began pulling people from danger.
Several survivors were removed alive, including a woman found moving in a void within the debris, AP reported. Earlier video and local reporting showed rescuers carrying people through a narrow path while teams searched for pockets where others could survive.
Fire officials described the operation as slow and dangerous because moving unstable debris could trigger another collapse or endanger people beneath it. Officials said a complete search could take several days, and they had not established how many residents or construction workers were at the site when the building fell.
Cause remains under investigation
City records reviewed by ABC7 New York showed demolition and construction activity had taken place for months on the neighboring property. A summons was issued in April in connection with an alleged violation of a stop-work order, but that matter was later marked resolved.
Officials said the adjoining site had approval for a three-story building. Separate plans for a nine-story mixed-use development had not yet been approved. Investigators are examining the building history, excavation work and debris, but they have not publicly attributed the collapse to the contractor, property owner or any specific violation.
Families displaced
At least eight households were displaced from the collapsed building and the neighboring structure. The city opened a reception center at the Flatbush YMCA, where the American Red Cross was registering residents and providing assistance, including mental-health support.
What to watch next
- Whether the death and injury totals change as crews complete the search.
- The Department of Buildings’ determination of the structural cause.
- Whether inspectors find a connection between the collapse and excavation at the neighboring site.
- Housing and financial assistance for displaced residents.
This is a developing story. Meeko News will update it as authorities release verified information.
