A three-story building collapsed in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday. Two people died and at least 17 were injured, officials said. Firefighters were called to the scene at about 4pm. According to The Guardian, the building stood at the edge of a lot where a one-story building had been torn down for a construction project.
Seven children were among the injured. Four people were taken to hospital in critical condition and 12 others were stable, officials told a press conference on Wednesday evening. One firefighter was treated for minor injuries. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) said more than 250 firefighters and paramedics responded. Al Jazeera reported that Mayor Zohran Mamdani said first responders reached the scene one minute after the emergency call.
The building fell into the excavation pit next door, filling it with bricks and wood. Rescuers searched for hours with drones, search dogs and saws, and also dug by hand. At about 6.30pm, they pulled a dust-covered person from a hole in the rubble. The person was still alive and moving and was rushed to a waiting ambulance, The Guardian reported. A neighbouring building that shared a wall with the collapsed structure stayed standing. But its wall was torn away, leaving a bedroom and closets exposed.
"We do not know how many people are still in the collapse zone, and this will be a prolonged operation," FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore told reporters late on Wednesday. Mamdani praised the emergency crews. He said they faced "precarious wreckage to navigate and dangerous voids beneath the surface". He also asked New Yorkers to pray for the dead and their families.
Witnesses described a sudden collapse. One man, named only as Anthony, told PIX11 News that he heard people screaming and a bomb-like noise. Another witness, Melissa Orna, told The New York Times that the whole building started shaking and then fell.
The cause is under investigation, the FDNY said. Ahmed Tigani, commissioner of the city's Department of Buildings, said construction workers were excavating when the building came down. He said developers had approved plans for a three-story building on the site and were seeking permission for a nine-story one. The Guardian said it had left messages with the architect, property owner and general contractor listed in city records for the project.