One person was killed and at least 10 people were injured when a three-story building collapsed in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. The structure fell into an excavation next to a construction site, the Associated Press reported, citing the New York Fire Department.
According to the fire department, four of those injured were taken to hospital in critical condition, while six sustained less serious injuries. ABC7 reported 12 injured people, including six in critical condition. Most of those affected were construction workers and residents of the building.
Rescue operation beneath the rubble
The emergency call was made at around 4:00 p.m. local time on November 11. Firefighters cleared the debris by hand and with power tools, also using drones and search dogs to look for survivors.
At around 6:30 p.m., rescuers pulled a live person from an opening in the pile of debris. The operation continued afterward amid fears that more people could be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
The building included a commercial property on the ground floor and at least one apartment. A one-story structure next to it had been demolished, and the site had been excavated for new construction. Bricks and wooden elements fell into the excavation when the building collapsed.
Cause of collapse under investigation
A neighboring building that shared a wall with the collapsed structure remained standing, but its wall was damaged and the rooms inside were exposed. City inspectors are checking the stability of nearby buildings.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined. Police have closed the area around Flatbush and Bedford avenues and urged people to avoid it.
“As rescue efforts continue, let us support our neighbors and the members of this community,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
Sources: apnews.com, abc7ny.com