Brooklyn building collapse leaves two dead, 19 victims and people still trapped

What happened

A three-story building with homes and shops collapsed on Wednesday, 11 November, in the Flatbush neighborhood of central Brooklyn, New York. The building, which dated from the 1930s, fell beside a neighboring construction site where excavation was under way, trapping people on both properties. Firefighters were alerted to people trapped in the rubble at about 4:00 pm local time, and a fire crew that happened to be nearby reached the scene within a minute and helped pull out the first victims. Officials have not established what caused the collapse, and John Esposito, head of the New York City Fire Department, said an investigation is under way.

Casualties and the rescue

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said two people were killed and more than 10 others were taken to hospitals, some in critical condition. The fire department's official tally, reported on 12 November, counts 19 victims, dead and injured together, including seven children, and Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore did not say whether any child was among the dead. Of the 19, four were in critical condition, 12 were stable and one firefighter had minor injuries.

Dead2

Critical condition4

Stable12

Firefighter, minor injuries1

Dead

2 people

Critical condition

4 people

Stable

12 people

Firefighter, minor injuries

1 people

Data from the article text

Firefighters and a specially trained dog kept searching the debris through the night, while crews formed human chains to pass buckets of debris by hand, a method meant to avoid vibrations that could trigger a further collapse. Bonsignore described the operation as extremely dangerous because of the instability of the structure and said more people could still be found as the work continues. ABC News reported that one person remained trapped and was in contact with rescue crews.

Scene and wider area

Authorities have not said how many people were inside the building or how many workers were on the adjacent plot when it fell. Esposito said officials did not yet know the total number of people missing. The wall of a neighboring three-story building was also cut away, exposing the interiors of apartments. Building department inspectors are on site to assist the rescue and check the structural soundness of nearby buildings. The fire department asked the public to stay away from the area around Bedford and Flatbush avenues, while police warned of traffic delays and road closures.

Witnesses and the scene

Residents and passers-by described scenes of panic immediately after the collapse. Anthony Griggs, who was in the area for work, told Spectrum News NY1 that bricks suddenly fell at his feet. He said he was shaking and believed the entire building was about to fall on him. Video from the site shows firefighters lifting rescued people onto stretchers and carrying them away from the rubble on fire department ladders. Aerial footage from the WABC network showed dozens of rescuers forming human chains at the site.