At least 8 dead, 19 injured in Brooklyn building collapse as rescuers search for survivors

Emergency crews continue searching the rubble in Flatbush as officials investigate what caused the three-story building to collapse.

At least eight people died and 19 others were injured in a Brooklyn building collapse Wednesday (Nov. 10), leaving rescuers searching unstable debris for possible survivors. The three-story structure fell in Flatbush, which has a large Black and Caribbean community, amid wider concerns about housing disparities in New York and residential building safety.

The Guardian reported Thursday that the death toll had climbed overnight. As of 8 a.m., the FDNY reported eight people dead and 19 injured, including three firefighters. The building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue fell shortly after 4 p.m. on Nov. 11, sending bricks and timber into an adjacent excavation site at 2625 Bedford Avenue. Four injured people were in critical condition, and seven children were among those affected.

About 250 emergency personnel responded, working through the night with rescue dogs, drones and tools to search the wreckage. Officials warned that broken material could shift and endanger both people trapped underneath and those trying to reach them.

Firefighters pulled several people out alive. A pregnant woman was among those rescued, while one resident told reporters his wife and two young children had been trapped before being brought to safety. Nearby, another building remained standing, but a torn wall exposed rooms inside.

New York City Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said workers had been excavating the adjoining lot when the collapse occurred. City records show an earlier violation at the construction site involving demolition despite a stop-work order. CBS New York reported that the violation was subsequently marked resolved.

Officials have not established what caused the Brooklyn building collapse or whether work next door played a role. The Department of Buildings and law enforcement agencies are investigating.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the disaster as devastating and expressed sympathy for the victims’ families. A reception center at the Flatbush YMCA was established for people displaced or otherwise affected by the collapse, while nearby streets remained closed.

Rescuers continued searching Thursday as heavy rain threatened the area. Authorities said they did not know how many people might still be trapped, and the casualty count could change as crews reached deeper sections of the rubble.

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