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At least two people have died and 17 others, including seven children, sustained injuries after a three-storey building collapsed near an active construction site in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday
Four of those injured were reported to be in critical condition as emergency responders continued searching through the debris for possible survivors.
The building reportedly fell into an adjoining excavation site, trapping several people beneath the wreckage. Images from the scene showed firefighters navigating piles of rubble, with sections of the building’s walls completely destroyed, leaving bedrooms and household belongings exposed.
More than 250 firefighters and paramedics were deployed to the scene, using drones, search dogs and chainsaws to locate and rescue those trapped.
New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore warned that the rescue operation could take several hours because authorities had yet to determine how many people remained trapped.
“We do not know how many people are still in the collapse zone, and this will be a prolonged operation,” Bonsignore told reporters.
She confirmed two fatalities but did not disclose the victims’ identities or ages.
One person was killed, and several others were injured Wednesday after a three-story building collapsed near a construction site in New York, city authorities said. AFP
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani commended emergency personnel for working through hazardous conditions, describing the site as involving “precarious wreckage to navigate and dangerous voids beneath the surface.”
“I want to ask New Yorkers to please take a moment to pray for those who passed away today and all of those who are mourning their loss,” Mamdani said during a news conference.
Meanwhile, New York City’s Department of Buildings confirmed that inspectors had been deployed to assess the structural stability of neighbouring properties and support recovery efforts.
Department Commissioner Ahmed Tigani disclosed that construction workers were carrying out excavation work when the collapse occurred. He said developers had obtained approval for a three-storey building at the site and were seeking additional permission to build a nine-storey structure.
Authorities have not established the cause of the collapse, and investigations remain ongoing as emergency crews continue their search and recovery operations.
