Brooklyn building collapse kills at least two as crews search rubble
Firefighters continued searching for survivors after a three-storey building collapsed in Flatbush, leaving at least two people dead and more than a dozen injured.
By Marina Weber ·
At least two people were killed when a three-storey mixed-use building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York City, on Wednesday. Firefighters continued searching the rubble for potential survivors as authorities reported multiple injuries and warned that rescue crews faced dangerous conditions at the site.
The collapse occurred in a neighbourhood in the Flatbush area, home to a predominantly Black and Afro-Caribbean community. The building fell into an adjacent construction site, trapping both residents and construction workers, according to New York City Fire Department Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore. FDNY Chief John Esposito said the construction workers had been “digging down”.
Rescue operations began at around 4pm on Wednesday. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said first responders reached the scene one minute after the initial emergency call. Speaking at a news conference at about 8pm that evening, he provided updates on the response. He also used X to share information about rescue efforts and urged people to stay away from the area.
Esposito said the first crew to reach the collapsed building had been returning from another emergency nearby and began search-and-rescue work immediately, according to CNN. The response brought together firefighters, police and emergency medical services personnel as crews worked to reach those caught in the debris.
The FDNY reported that four victims were in critical condition and 12 were stable. A firefighter was also receiving treatment for minor injuries. Among those rescued from the collapse site was a pregnant woman. The department deployed a drone to help locate additional victims as the search continued.
Bonsignore stressed that rescuers had to work carefully because moving through the debris too quickly could disturb the piles and have harmful consequences. She described the crews’ work as dangerous and heroic, highlighting the perilous conditions they encountered while searching the collapsed structure.
Police patrolled the scene while emergency medical services personnel worked alongside the rescue teams. For people affected by the collapse, New York City’s Emergency Management established a help centre at the local Flatbush YMCA, adding another part of the city’s response beyond the immediate rescue site.
The cause of the collapse remained under investigation. Bonsignore said the response would require a “prolonged operation”, with crews continuing their search for anyone still trapped in the rubble.
