Two people have been killed and at least 17 others injured after a three-storey residential building collapsed near a construction site in Brooklyn, New York.
The incident occurred on November 11, in the Flatbush neighbourhood, trapping several people beneath the rubble.
According to city authorities, the building collapsed into an adjoining excavation site, leaving parts of the residential property exposed and debris scattered across the area.
Emergency responders worked for several hours to rescue trapped occupants, using drones, search dogs and chainsaws to navigate the wreckage.
New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore confirmed the fatalities and injuries during a briefing at the scene.
She said seven children were among the injured, while four victims sustained critical injuries.
“We do not know how many people are still in the collapse zone, and this will be a prolonged operation,” Bonsignore said.
More than 250 firefighters and paramedics were deployed to the scene to assist with rescue and recovery operations.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised the emergency responders, describing the site as particularly dangerous because of unstable debris and potentially hazardous spaces beneath the rubble.
He also appealed to residents to remember the victims and their families.
“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.
Meanwhile, the cause of the collapse remains under investigation.
Ahmed Tigani, commissioner of the city’s Department of Buildings, said construction workers were carrying out excavation activities at the neighbouring site when the incident occurred.
He disclosed that developers had secured approval for a three-storey building at the location but were also seeking permission to construct a nine-storey structure.
The department said its inspectors were examining the site and assessing the structural stability of nearby buildings.
One witness, identified only as Anthony, told PIX11 News that he heard people screaming and a noise resembling an explosion when the building came down.
Another witness, Melissa Orna, told The New York Times: “The whole building started shaking, and then it just fell.”
The rescue operation continued as authorities worked to establish whether more people remained trapped beneath the debris.
