At least two people were killed and 17 others injured when a three-story residential building collapsed into an adjacent construction site in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday, triggering a major emergency response as rescue teams searched for people trapped beneath the debris.
The collapse occurred at approximately 4:01pm local time (2101 GMT) at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, according to New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore.
Emergency officials said several people inside the residential building and at the neighbouring construction site became trapped when the structure collapsed.
Firefighters and rescue personnel rushed to the scene and began searching through the wreckage for survivors.
“We have 19 patients. Sadly, we have two that are deceased, four that are critical, 12 that are stable, and we also have one firefighter with minor injuries. Of those 19, seven are children,” Bonsignore told reporters.
The figures indicated that four people were critically injured, while 12 others were reported to be in stable condition. A firefighter also sustained minor injuries during the emergency response.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the incident as a “devastating collapse” and cautioned that the number of casualties could change as rescue operations progressed.
“The Department of Buildings and our law enforcement partners will be leading an investigation into the cause of this building collapse,” Mamdani said.
Authorities had not established what caused the residential structure to collapse into the neighbouring construction site.
Emergency crews continued search-and-rescue operations, while officials said they were still working to determine how many people might remain trapped within the affected area.
The investigation will seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse as rescue personnel continue efforts to locate any remaining victims.