Get you up to speed: Building collapse in Brooklyn kills two, injures more than a dozen
A building collapse in Brooklyn, New York City, has resulted in the deaths of at least two people and injuries to more than a dozen individuals. Firefighters are continuing rescue operations to search for potential survivors trapped in the rubble.
The New York City Fire Department has dispatched a drone to aid in locating additional victims, while rescue operations remain ongoing amid precarious conditions. New York City’s Emergency Management has established a help centre at the local Flatbush YMCA for those affected by the incident.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed a help centre has been established at the Flatbush YMCA for those affected by the collapse. Fire Department Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore warned that the rescue operation may take a considerable amount of time, stating, “this will require a prolonged operation,” as the cause of the collapse is investigated.
What remains unclear — The specific cause of the building’s collapse has not yet been determined.
Building collapse in Brooklyn results in two fatalities and multiple injuries
News|ConstructionBuilding collapse in Brooklyn kills two, injures more than a dozen
New York City Fire Department commissioner investigate cause of collapse while rescue crews search for victims.
Published On 12 Nov 202612 Nov 2026
Published On 12 Nov 202612 Nov 2026A building collapse in New York City’s borough of Brooklyn has killed at least two people, with more injured as firefighters continue to rescue potential survivors trapped in the rubble.
The collapse of the three-storey mixed-use building occurred in a Flatbush area neighbourhood, which is home to a predominantly Black and Afro-Caribbean community.
Rescue operations began around 4pm on Wednesday, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani shared updates about rescue operations on X, warning people to avoid the area.
Pooling city efforts together
First responders arrived at the scene one minute after the first emergency call, according to Mamdani, who held a news conference at about 8pm on Wednesday night. New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Chief John Esposito said the crew was returning from a nearby emergency and immediately began search-and-rescue operations, according to CNN.
According to the FDNY, four victims are in critical condition, 12 are stable, and one firefighter is being treated for minor injuries. The FDNY has deployed a drone to locate additional victims.
The building toppled into a nearby construction site, trapping residents and construction workers inside, said Lillian Bonsignore, commissioner of the New York City Fire Department.
The construction workers were “digging down”, said Esposito.
A pregnant woman was rescued from the site.
Emergency personnel work at the scene of a partial building collapse in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, US, on Wednesday [Angelina Katsanis/Reuters]
New York City’s Emergency Management set up a help centre for those impacted by the collapse at the local Flatbush YMCA.
New York City’s Police Department was patrolling the site and emergency medical services personnel were working alongside rescue crews.
“The units are performing dangerous and heroic work,” Bonsignore said. “They encounter dangerous and perilous conditions. The risk of disrupting the piles by moving too quickly there … can have a detrimental consequence.”
Bonsignore added that the collapse will require a “prolonged operation”, with the cause of the building’s collapse still under investigation.