Brooklyn Collapse Kills Eight, Rescuers Still Digging Through Rubble

  • Posted byby Owen

At least eight people are dead after a three-story building collapsed in Brooklyn on Wednesday afternoon, and rescuers are still digging through the rubble on Thursday to find anyone who may still be trapped.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the toll on Thursday morning, Nov. 12. At least 17 other people were hurt, including seven children and three firefighters. Four people were in critical condition.

The building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush fell just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11. It collapsed into an excavation pit at the construction site next door, at 2625 Bedford Avenue. The side of a second building, at 1323 Flatbush Avenue, was torn off in the collapse.

More than 250 firefighters and medics responded. A fire crew happened to be driving past when the building came down, and units arrived within a minute. Crews have worked through the night by hand, with buckets, saws, drones, and search dogs.

What happened, in order

The first 911 call came in at 4:01 p.m. on Wednesday. Two deaths were announced that night, and the toll climbed through Thursday morning as crews recovered more bodies from the wreckage.

FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said officials do not know how many people may still be in the collapse zone. She called the rescue work dangerous and perilous, and said it will be a prolonged operation. One FDNY chief said the search could take at least three days, and warned that chunks of neighboring buildings could still fall.

The American Red Cross and New York City Emergency Management set up a reception center for displaced residents at the Flatbush YMCA. Anyone who cannot reach someone who may have been affected is urged to call 311.

What is still not known

The cause of the collapse has not been determined. That is the key fact right now, and no one should jump ahead of the investigators.

What is known is that construction workers were excavating the empty lot next door when the building fell. The New York City Department of Buildings has issued a full stop-work order at that site and launched a full investigation. The Brooklyn District Attorney is also working with the department and police to determine if any criminal conduct contributed to the collapse.

City records show the neighboring site had a troubled history. Inspectors issued a stop-work order in March after finding demolition work without adequate overhead protection for nearby buildings. In April, inspectors found work had resumed in violation of that order, and a contractor was fined. Officials have not established that the earlier violation caused Wednesday’s collapse, and it would be wrong to say so now.

One victim has been identified by family as Jose Luis Caguana, 26, a construction worker from Ecuador. Officials have not publicly identified all eight victims, and have not released the ages of those who died.

Heavy rain was forecast for Thursday afternoon, which will only make a hard job harder. The crews are still out there, and the toll could still rise.

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