Eight killed and dozens injured in Brooklyn building collapse

A three-storey mixed-use building in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn collapsed on Wednesday afternoon, killing at least eight people and hospitalising at least 17 others, including three firefighters. The structure fell onto a nearby construction site, trapping residents and construction workers under rubble.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted updates on X, urging residents to avoid the area and noting that about 250 firefighters were on the scene. He said first responders arrived one minute after the emergency call and that a pregnant woman had been rescued.

FDNY Chief John Esposito said the crew was returning from a nearby incident when the collapse occurred and immediately began search-and-rescue operations. FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore described the work as “dangerous and heroic,” warning that moving too quickly could worsen the situation and that the operation would be prolonged while the cause is investigated.

New York City Emergency Management opened a help centre at the Flatbush YMCA for those affected. Police officers patrolled the site and emergency medical services worked alongside rescue crews, using pickaxes and power saws to reach victims trapped beneath twisted wood and brick.