One person died and 17 others were injured when a three-storey residential building collapsed at the edge of an active construction site in New York on Wednesday.
The disaster struck at approximately 4 p.m. near the intersection of Bedford Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush, according to the New York City Fire Department.
Emergency responders arrived within a minute of the collapse and pulled two individuals from the rubble soon after. The total injured count reached 17 people, including seven children and one firefighter. Four victims were rushed to hospital in critical condition while six others were transported with minor injuries.
Rescue teams deployed sniffer dogs and utilized saws to cut through the wreckage. The collapsed structure included a store at ground level and at least one apartment upstairs, sitting directly adjacent to a lot where a single-storey building had been demolished for an excavation project. Inspectors with the city’s Department of Buildings arrived on scene to assist with recovery operations and to conduct structural stability inspections of surrounding buildings.
First responders are on the scene of a building collapse on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, where they are working quickly to secure the location and assist New Yorkers. Flatbush Avenue is closed from Clarendon Road to Bedford Avenue – please avoid the area so rescue crews can…
Emergency Responders Search Debris for Victims
By 7 p.m., about 250 fire department and EMS personnel were at the scene. Aerial footage showed dozens of firefighters scouring the debris as a drone hovered over the wreckage.
“Imagine what that child is experiencing right now… that should’ve never happened,” New York City Council member Farah N. Louis told CNN, noting that a child was among the injured.
My heart breaks for the family who lost a loved one in today’s building collapse in Brooklyn. I’m keeping them in my thoughts and praying for everyone affected. My administration has reached out and offered its full support as authorities investigate what happened.
— Post by @GovKathyHochul on X York Gov. Kathy Hochul
New York State Rep. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn told NY1 that the adjacent lot had been vacant for a long time and used to be a senior, adult day care. “They were waiting for a permit to build affordable housing,” Bichotte Hermelyn told NY1. “We don’t know the details in terms of why the building collapsed but all I know is it’s been probably neglected.”
“We’re closely monitoring the building collapse on Bedford Avenue in Flatbush,” New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams wrote on X. “We’re praying for the safety of anyone who may be trapped and for the first responders working to reach them.”
Questions Surrounding the Flatbush Disaster
The NYC Department of Buildings is at the scene and investigating the collapse, though it is unclear what caused the incident. Phone and email messages seeking comment were left with the architect, property owner and general contractor listed in city records as being associated with the construction project.
It remains unclear how many others remain in the building. City officials urged people to avoid the area in order for rescue crews to continue to work.
Mayor Mamdani, FDNY Commissioner Bonsignore provide update on major technical rescue in Brooklyn https://t.co/fBQQ8WGbyv
More on Bedford Avenue
Due to a partial building collapse, please avoid the area surrounding Bedford Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Expect street closures, traffic delays, and consider alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/03mjZm3TjI
Keep reading