NEW YORK | The death toll from the collapse of a three-story building in Brooklyn, New York, rose to eight on Thursday, November 12, as firefighters and police officers continued searching through unstable rubble for possible survivors following the disaster near an active construction site.
The building, which housed apartments above ground-floor commercial establishments, collapsed Wednesday afternoon in the Flatbush neighborhood, leaving at least 17 people injured, including several who were reported to be in critical condition, according to the Associated Press and statements from New York City officials.
The collapse occurred at approximately 4 p.m. Wednesday at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, near the intersection of Flatbush and Bedford avenues. The structure fell into an adjoining excavation site, burying parts of the building beneath a large pile of concrete, bricks, wood and other debris, Reuters reported.
About 250 firefighters and emergency personnel were deployed to the scene. Rescue teams used search dogs, drones, power tools and buckets to remove debris while carefully checking for people who might have been trapped beneath the wreckage. Fire officials warned that the operation could take several days because of unstable conditions and the risk of further structural collapse.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the eight fatalities and said at least 17 people, including three firefighters, were injured. Seven children were among those affected, although authorities did not disclose whether any of the fatalities were children. Several people were rescued alive, including a pregnant woman.
The circumstances surrounding the collapse have raised questions about construction activities beside the aging structure. The building dated to around 1930, making it approximately 96 years old. According to local media reports examining city records, demolition of a former one-story structure on the adjoining property was completed in 2025, while excavation work began in September 2026 and included rock blasting.
A pre-construction inspection report also identified significant structural deficiencies in the collapsed building’s north wall, which stood next to the construction site. The report described the wall as being in poor condition, with cracks and masonry misalignments. Construction plans indicated excavation to a maximum depth of 14 feet. However, these findings do not establish what caused the collapse.
New York City’s Department of Buildings and law enforcement authorities are investigating whether the building’s existing structural condition, the adjacent excavation work or other factors contributed to the disaster. Officials have not announced a final determination of the cause.
The tragedy has renewed attention to construction safety and the protection of older buildings located beside active development sites. Investigators are expected to examine construction permits, inspection records and structural conditions as they work to establish what happened.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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