Rescuers searched through rubble overnight after the three-story Flatbush structure fell beside an active construction site.
NEW YORK — At least eight people have died and 17 others were injured after a three-story building in Brooklyn collapsed beside an active construction site, city officials said Thursday as firefighters continued searching the rubble for anyone who might remain trapped.
The building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. collapsed shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, falling into an excavation site at 2625 Bedford Ave. in the Flatbush neighborhood. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said about 250 firefighters and emergency personnel responded. The death toll rose through Thursday as crews recovered more victims from the wreckage. At least three firefighters were among those injured, and four people were reported in critical condition.
Firefighters, police officers and other emergency workers searched through the night using hand tools, power equipment, drones and search dogs. Crews carefully removed sections of debris while looking for voids where people might have survived. Several people were pulled alive from the rubble, including a pregnant woman. Officials said the unstable debris made the operation dangerous for both trapped victims and rescuers.
The collapsed structure contained commercial space at street level and apartments above. Much of the wreckage fell into the large construction pit beside the building. A neighboring structure at 1323 Flatbush Ave. remained standing, but part of an exterior wall was torn away, leaving rooms exposed. Department of Buildings inspectors were examining surrounding structures while rescue crews continued working at the site.
Officials said workers were excavating the neighboring lot when the building collapsed. Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said the city was investigating what caused the structure to fail. Authorities had not determined Thursday whether the excavation work caused or contributed to the collapse. The Department of Buildings issued a full stop-work order at the construction site after the disaster.
City records show the neighboring construction project had faced enforcement action earlier in the year. The Department of Buildings said inspectors issued a stop-work order in March after finding demolition work was taking place without adequate overhead protection for nearby properties. Inspectors returned in April and found work had resumed despite the order. The city said the problems were later corrected, and work was allowed to resume in May. Investigators have not said whether those earlier violations were connected to Wednesday’s collapse.
One of those killed was identified by his brother as 26-year-old construction worker Luis Caguana. His brother, Carlos Caguana, told WNBC-TV that Luis Caguana was an immigrant from Ecuador who had lived in the United States for about six years. He leaves behind a pregnant wife and a young child. Officials had not publicly identified all of the people killed as of Thursday.
Seven children were among the people treated following the collapse, according to local reporting. Six victims died at the scene and two others later died at a hospital, city officials said. Some of the injured were taken to Kings County Hospital. Emergency organizations also began assisting displaced residents, including people who could not return to homes near the damaged buildings.
The collapse triggered a large emergency response around Flatbush and Bedford avenues. Streets in the immediate area were closed while firefighters searched the wreckage and engineers assessed the stability of nearby structures. Heavy rain expected Thursday added another concern as responders worked around a debris field that officials said remained unstable.
The architect, property owner and general contractor associated with the adjacent construction project had not publicly responded to requests for comment reported by The Associated Press. The city Department of Buildings continued investigating the cause of the collapse Thursday while emergency crews searched the site for additional victims. Officials had not said how many people, if any, remained unaccounted for.
Author note: Last updated November 12, 2026.