The rescue operation following the collapse of a three-story residential building in Brooklyn is continuing. Eight people have died and at least 18 have been injured, including four firefighters, New York authorities said. Seventeen casualties were initially reported, but later figures put the number of injured at 18.
Two of the victims were children. Two construction workers were also among those killed, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. The cause of the incident has not yet been established and is being investigated by the city’s Department of Buildings and law enforcement authorities.
Rescuers Continue to Work Beneath the Rubble
The building at 1321 „Flatbush Avenue“ in the Flatbush neighborhood collapsed at around 4:01 p.m. local time on November 11. It fell into an adjacent excavation at a neighboring construction site, where workers were present at the time.
More than 250 firefighters and emergency personnel were sent to the scene. Crews are using excavators and other heavy equipment to lift large sections of the wreckage. Fire and police dogs are also taking part in the operation, while rescuers are working with electric saws and hand tools.
„We have not transitioned from rescue operations to recovery operations. We are still in the search-and-rescue phase,“ New York City Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said.She said crews would remain at the scene until they were certain that no more people were trapped beneath the rubble. Rescue efforts are being hampered by the instability of the collapsed site and the risk of a secondary collapse. The operation is expected to continue for several more days.
Construction Site Under Investigation
According to city authorities, excavation work was being carried out at the adjacent site. In March, inspectors issued an order to halt demolition work because of a lack of adequate protection for neighboring buildings. A subsequent inspection in April found that the work had continued in violation of the order. The order was lifted in May after the cited violations were corrected.
The New York City Department of Buildings launched an investigation to determine whether the excavation work contributed to the collapse. City authorities have also begun inspections of around 100 other construction sites connected to five companies that worked at the scene of the incident.
Sources: apnews.com, abcnews.com, washingtonpost.com