At least two people have died after a three-storey residential building collapsed into a neighbouring excavation site in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday 11 November.
Firefighters carried out an extensive search of the wreckage after the building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue fell towards an adjoining construction site at 2625 Bedford Avenue shortly after 4pm local time (9pm UK).
What we know
The Associated Press reported at least two fatalities. News 12 reported two deaths and 17 other people injured, including seven children, although casualty figures changed during the evening as rescue work continued. Earlier reports from Reuters and ABC7 New York had recorded one death and at least ten injuries.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) deployed specialist rescue teams to search the rubble. Footage showed firefighters working among fallen bricks, timber and structural debris. Rescue personnel pulled survivors from the wreckage, including a person brought out about two and a half hours after the collapse.
The damaged building was three storeys high and contained residential units, with commercial premises at street level. The neighbouring plot was being excavated following demolition work.
What officials have said
The FDNY described a major technical rescue operation. New York City’s Department of Buildings was investigating the collapse and assessing surrounding structures, while police asked the public to avoid nearby roads.
Officials had not established the cause of the collapse in the reports available at the time of writing. The fact that the building fell into an adjacent construction pit does not, on its own, establish that the excavation caused the failure.
What we do not know
- What caused the structure to give way
- Whether work at the adjoining site contributed to the collapse
- Whether further people remained unaccounted for after the latest rescue updates
- The final number and condition of those injured
Video: Emergency response in Flatbush
Fox 5 New York broadcast live footage of the emergency operation. The casualty numbers shown in the initial broadcast are earlier figures and should not be treated as the latest confirmed toll.
Sources
- Associated Press: Brooklyn building collapse and rescue
- News 12: casualty updates from Flatbush
- Reuters: earlier casualty and rescue report
- ABC7 New York: live coverage of the collapse
This is a developing story. Figures reflect reporting available early on 12 November 2026 UK time and may change as authorities release further information.
