Brooklyn building collapse kills eight
Mayor Zohran Mamdani raised the toll from two to eight and cited at least 17 injured; prosecutors are examining whether criminal conduct played a role.
Eight people died when a three-story, multi-unit building collapsed in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Thursday. At least 17 people were injured.
The building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue fell onto an adjacent construction site at 4:01 p.m. local time (3:01 p.m. in Mexico City). The city fire department, the FDNY, says its units arrived within a minute and began searching right away.
The death toll quadrupled in less than a day. The FDNY counted two dead and more than 15 injured at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. That night Mamdani, who went to the scene, spoke of at least 17 injured, one of them a firefighter. The numbers could still change as the search goes on.
The hunt for anyone who might be trapped did not stop overnight. The mayor described the conditions as extremely dangerous.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation. The Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, led by Eric Gonzalez, is looking into whether any criminal conduct contributed to the tragedy, working with the Department of Buildings and police.
Fire department photos show the building's rear wall ripped open, with rooms and stairs exposed, and an excavator at the bottom of the pit. A collapse next to a construction site raises questions about the stability of party walls, shoring and prior inspections. There is no public conclusion yet on the site's permits.
Authorities have not released the identities or nationalities of the victims. New York is home to a large community of Mexican origin, and Mexico's consulate would step in if any Mexican nationals were confirmed among them.
