At least two killed as Brooklyn building collapses in New York, over 17 injured
At least two people have died and more than 17 others have been injured after a three-storey building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York City, officials have said. The building fell into an open construction site next door, sparking a massive search-and-rescue operation.
More than 250 first responders are at the scene, searching for survivors who may be trapped under the rubble. The building collapsed suddenly at about 16:00 local time on Wednesday, but authorities have yet to determine what caused it.
Hours later, aerial video showed firefighters pulling a survivor, covered in dust, out of the debris on a stretcher. New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore described the rescue mission as 'extremely dangerous'.
Bonsignore said people from the collapsed building and also from the construction site had been trapped. 'Members have been working methodically and haven't stopped since they arrived this afternoon,' she said.
Pictures of the collapsed building, on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, show an entire side of it gone, with bedrooms and closets exposed. Among the debris — smashed concrete and twisted metal — are household items and clothes.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined emergency responders at the scene and praised their rapid response. He later wrote on X that they 'arrived in under a minute and have spent hours working in dangerous and highly technical conditions to rescue New Yorkers'.
City records show the Brooklyn building was built in 1930, according to reports citing those records. The cause of the collapse remains unknown, and the search continues for anyone else who may still be trapped under the rubble.
