NY building collapse: Death toll rises to eight

At least eight people have been killed and 17 others injured, including four critically, after part of a three-storey building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York City, on Wednesday afternoon (November 11), Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed.

Firefighters rescued several survivors from the rubble as emergency crews continued searching for people who might still be trapped. Officials said they were yet to determine whether anyone remained missing.

The collapse occurred shortly after 4PM at a mixed-use building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue in the Flatbush neighbourhood. The structure collapsed into an adjacent open construction site at 2625 Bedford Avenue, according to WABC.

In an update on X on Thursday morning, Mamdani said rescue workers had spent the night searching the site under extremely dangerous conditions.

He expressed grief over the deaths and injuries and said rescue operations were still underway. He also urged people to stay away from the area.

The cause of the collapse remained under investigation.

New York City Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said construction workers had been carrying out excavation work at the neighbouring site when the collapse occurred, according to WABC.

Officials said the approved plans for the site allowed a three-storey building, while a proposal for a nine-storey mixed-use development had not yet received approval.

Records from the New York City Department of Buildings showed that the neighbouring construction project had previously faced violations. Records cited by CNN said a demolition contractor was fined for continuing demolition work despite a stop-work order issued in April. The violation was resolved last month after the contractor paid $10,000 in penalties.

However, authorities had not determined whether the excavation work, previous construction violations or any other factor contributed to the collapse.

Department of Buildings inspectors were at the scene to assist with recovery operations and assess the structural stability of nearby buildings.

The city's Office of Emergency Management and the Red Cross opened a reception centre at the Flatbush YMCA for residents affected by the incident.

Mamdani described the collapse as devastating and thanked the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), saying firefighters had responded within one minute.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said her administration had offered full support to the investigation.

State Attorney General Letitia James also expressed sympathy for the victims' families and thanked the FDNY and other emergency responders.

- MaT