Eight dead after Brooklyn building collapses into excavation site

A three-story building in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood collapsed into a nearby construction site Wednesday afternoon, killing at least eight people and prompting a large rescue effort.

The first 911 call came in at 4:01 p.m., according to the New York Police Department. The mixed-use building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. had a store on the ground floor and apartments above. When it fell into an excavation pit, it also tore away part of the wall at 1323 Flatbush Ave., exposing apartments and stairwells.

Firefighters arrived within about a minute. Some were already nearby when the building came down. As crews searched the debris, emergency officials warned of heavy responder activity, traffic delays and road closures in the area.

At least 17 people were injured, including three firefighters. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Thursday that eight people had died.

“I am heartbroken that eight New Yorkers have now lost their lives and at least 17 have been injured, including three firefighters,” Mamdani said in a post on X. He offered condolences to the victims’ families and to those injured and grieving.

During the rescue, firefighters spoke with a dust-covered woman after reaching her through a collapsed wall. A man who had been searching for his wife later told reporters she had survived.

The collapse has also drawn attention to construction work at a neighboring property, 2625 Bedford Ave., where developers had permits for excavation and foundation work ahead of a planned three-story building.

In March, the city’s Department of Buildings issued a stop-work order after inspectors found that the existing structure had been demolished without adequate protection for neighboring properties, including 1321 Flatbush Ave. Investigators later found that demolition had continued despite the order, and issued a $10,000 fine. The order was lifted in May after the developers addressed the violations.