At least two people were killed and 17 injured when a three-story building collapsed in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Nov. 11, prompting a search-and-rescue operation involving more than 250 first responders. The building on Flatbush Avenue fell beside an open construction site, officials said.
Firefighters pulled a dust-covered survivor from the debris on a stretcher several hours after the collapse, according to the BBC. Authorities had not determined what caused the building to fall.
The collapse happened at about 4 p.m. local time. Images from the scene showed one side of the building gone, exposing rooms and closets, with concrete, metal and household items scattered through the wreckage.
Rescue crews worked through dangerous conditions
New York City Fire Department Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore described the rescue operation as “extremely dangerous.” She said people from both the collapsed building and the construction site had been trapped.
“Members have been working methodically and haven’t stopped since they arrived this afternoon,” Bonsignore said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the scene and praised emergency crews. He later wrote on X that they “arrived in under a minute” and had spent hours working in dangerous and technically challenging conditions to rescue people.
The building was constructed in 1930, according to city records cited by CBS News. The cause of the collapse remained under investigation.
Reid Bentley